Andrew Yee What were your initial thoughts when presented with the opportunity to reinterpret your Kardo Chair for Powerhouse?
Patryk Koca I was thrilled to be commissioned to create a piece for an institution that has greatly influenced my journey as a designer. Since my early childhood, I have vivid memories of visiting Powerhouse Museum on school excursions and on weekends with my parents. Its diverse collection and dynamic exhibition program have consistently served as enduring sources of learning and inspiration, spanning from my formative years into university and throughout my career.
AY A vital project element was incorporating spotted gum tree – what was your experience of working with the timber and did it present any challenges?
PK The Kardo Chair was originally designed for the 2022 Powerhouse New Australian Design exhibition curated by Emma Elizabeth. Inspired by the ephemeral Eucalyptusdom exhibition, the chair celebrates the variety of Australian species. Spotted gum was the perfect material to enhance the stylised finger joints with its natural tonal variations and contrast between grains.
The challenge of making the chairs in spotted gum was in achieving a refined result with a hardwood, which is generally less suited to fine details. Working with Jack Stannard from Iluka Studio to make the chairs was pivotal to achieving this. His practice focuses on using reclaimed timber and working with a broad range of species which he handpicks for every project.
The material connection to Dharug Land is extremely powerful, and like the architecture of the new Building J, which intentionally blends into the surrounding environment, it emphasises the importance of designing within the context of place.
AY Your practice marries practical design elements with digital technologies. Why was it imperative to make this part of your process?
PK In a world of fast paced specialisation, it is very hard to do everything yourself. I love making and designing bespoke pieces, but I also believe we can have a profound impact designing pieces that are sustainable by leveraging digital technologies and manufacturing in a responsible manner. Placing myself at the cross section of digital and the physical allows me to efficiently find a balance between ergonomics and challenging manufacturing constraints, while keeping an eye on creating a timeless and enduring aesthetic.
AY As a designer, how has your relationship with the concepts of practically and pragmatism evolved in your career?
PK I think through experiments and failure you gain invaluable experience. And experience inadvertently leads to accepting certain material properties and realities that you no longer feel the need to challenge as you progress through your career. You become more pragmatic, targeted and efficient. Ultimately collaborating with experienced and likeminded people is the key to all projects, in design and other aspects of life.
AY What does it mean to you as an Australian designer to have work commissioned by Powerhouse ?
PK It’s a great honour and privilege, marking what I hope will be just the beginning of a long and productive relationship with the museum. I hope that for me, these pieces will play a small role in inspiring the next generation of innovators and designers. It is an incredibly exciting time for Powerhouse with its Ultimo renewal and ambitious new centrepiece building in the heart of Parramatta, just a short River Cat ride from where I finished high school in West Ryde.
AY Do you have any upcoming projects, plans, and works you'd like to share?
PK Working on furniture commissions in public spaces is a gratifying and fulfilling aspect of my practice, and one I would like to continue to grow. I am presently in the process of delivering a series of custom benches for a Sydney landmark, the Queen Victoria Building, as part of its comprehensive refurbishment. These benches are envisioned to serve generations of visitors to come. Much like the Kardo Chairs, this project is a testament to collaboration, with exceptional makers from Gerringong, using native blackwood and blackened steel to create a fitting piece to its contextual surroundings.
