interview with brodie neill of made in ratio

we recently talked to made in ratio‘s creative director brodie neill about his work and influences.

DB: please can you tell how you came to be a designer?
BN: I started building furniture when I was fifteen in the shed of my family home in tasmania. I’d never make the exact same thing twice and was constantly revising my designs while making them. I guess this was the start of my hands on approach to design.

my early intrigue led me to study furniture design at the university of tasmania, which has a long heritage of design and craftsmanship. following this I received a fellowship to study a masters degree at the rhode island school of design in the USA, which further fused my interest in the mergence of a hands on approach and digital design.

I was fortunate that some of my early designs were picked up by european manufacturers such as kundalini and swarovski, and projects for alexander mcqueen and limited edition designs for the apartment gallery followed.

my desire to return to a more hands on design process led to the creation of made in ratio, a collection of well resolved pieces that take an idea from conception to realization without compromise. 

cowrie chair, 2013
L 750mm x W 740mm x H 640mm
plywood faced with ebonized ash / natural ash / walnut

cowrie rocker
L 1870mm x W 685mm x 765mm
plywood faced with ebonized ash / natural ash

DB: how would you describe your style to someone who has not seen your work before?
BN: form & material. form is at the core of every design though that’s usually merged with shaping the appropriate material to take on the desired shape. the two work in synergy and hopefully achieve a perfect harmony.

DB: what materials or production methods do you enjoy working with the most?
BN: I tend to realize these forms in a range of different materials often challenging the processes at hand to create evermore-progressive shapes. I’ve experimented with a lot of materials over the years, especially with the limited edition pieces, so it’s nice to return to more familiar materials through made in ratio with this knowledge at hand.

DB: is there anything particular that you would like to explore further in your future projects?
BN: future projects will have more of an emphasis on recycling and sustainability. as designers I don’t think we should be creating burdens to the environment in the case of disposable items that end up as landfill. obviously designers should endeavor to create products that are timeless, long lasting and more efficient, thus preventing waste. the made in ratio products strive to achieve this through purposeful design, unquestionable quality and the highest standards of craftsmanship.  

matrix coat stand, 2013
L 365mm x W 380mm x H 1675
10mm steel rod, plastic coated

supernova table, 2013
trestle dimensions. L 590mm x W 510mm x H 700mm
desk dimensions. L 1800 x W 700mm x H 710mm
100% recycled aluminum, low-iron glass

DB: which has been your most significant project to date?
BN: launching made in ratio as a whole has been hugely significant, but if I had to narrow it down I would say the cowrie rocker for it’s the perfect coming together of form and process, a result of a lot of research and refinement.

DB: how do you perceive the design scene in london / the UK right now?
BN: like most of europe and if not the world, london is slowly waking up from a hard financial slumber. the signs are only early but they are there and I hope for more prosperous times ahead. fortunately the past six years of restraint has not hindered creativity too much and strong ideas have continued to flourish. london has always attracted the most creative people from all corners of the world to share in the collective good. if better times are ahead I can only imagine this gravitational pull intensifying and london will become even more significant within the global design scene. 

cumulus lamp, 2013
L 425mm x W 380mm x H 320mm
blown glass shade, chrome plated die-cast aluminium cradle

DB: what advice would you give to any young designers who want to start working for themselves?
BN: if you’re going to dive straight in start small. do what you do and do it well. before starting made in ratio I designed and still do design for several european based brands, so I knew what’s involved in taking a product to market.

DB: what’s next for made in ratio?
BN: we’re building on the success of the first collection with five more exciting designs that will launch this april in milan. the launch will take place at spazio verger, who will also host design talks in the mornings as well as some late night events.