Meet the YFM exhibitors – Alex Key

The Young Furniture Makers exhibition, our annual showcase of emerging design talent, returns to the City of London on Wednesday 12 October for one day only.

Around 100 designs will be on show with industry being invited to attend and meet up-and-coming designer-makers who are looking to make an impact on the sector. Over the coming weeks we’ll be interviewing some of the makers who will be exhibiting at the event, which is sponsored by Axminister Tools and Sanderson Design Group and supported by the January Furniture Show.

Name: Alex Key
Name of piece: Crescent chair

Tell us about the product you’re exhibiting. What’s the story behind it?

The Crescent chair seeks to demonstrate how modern and traditional hand crafting techniques can be used in conjunction to create a cohesive design aesthetic. By using processes such as steam bending, vacuum lamination as well as CNC machining, I achieved thin profiles and refined curves inspired directly from the fluid shapes of the ocean waves which surrounded me while studying.

What was the most challenging part of bringing it to life?

The most challenging aspect of the design was transferring the clean and flowing curves from the CAD model to the real world while maintaining structural integrity. This was a core element which I wanted to achieve because I felt that it was key to the core visual identity of the piece. This combined with COVID led to a very tumultuous design journey which only contributed to my drive and ambition.

What do you hope to get out of being part of the Young Furniture Makers exhibition?

Being a part of the Young Furniture Makers exhibition will be a great chance to talk to my peers within the world of furniture design and making, exchanging ideas alongside great examples of the future of furniture. It will also be a chance to converse with fellow graduates as well as with established makers and industry professionals establishing connections as well as furthering my career alongside the experience to exhibit and discuss mine and others work.

Who is your design hero and why?

My design hero is Danish icon and master of the chair, Hans Wegner. The key part of his approach to furniture design was the balancing of function and form, by pairing down pieces to their core elements he created a series of pieces which are effortless and timeless. Leading to in my personal opinion the gold standard of furniture which is the Wishbone chair, a chair I am in awe of and inspires me every time I see it.

What are your career aspirations?

My personal career aspirations are to eventually have a design studio of my own where I can develop and create new and unique piece. Seeking to combine function with form to carry on the legacy of the great Scandinavian designers of the 50s but with my own British twist thrown in. This would be building off of the back of knowledge and experiences I am currently gaining with a variety of other established makers such as Marc Fish form whom I am working for at the moment.

Which company would you like to work for one day?

A company I would love to work for one day would be Egvaerk, a Danish design studio whom are pushing the ideas of great design by experimenting with unique materials such as resin as well as carving pieces inspired by natural forms such as ice. There more sculptural avenue of exploration is something I admire and am repeatedly blown away by, and is an aspect I would like to introduce into my own work further down the line.

How do you think you’d react if you won a Young Furniture Makers Award?

If I was to win a Young Furniture Makers Award I would be delighted and most likely be lost for words. It would be an honour as well as a recognition of the time and dedication I put in throughout my degree.