At this year’s ICFF, the British designer Tom Dixon will present 3 things… his INDUSTRY line, book series and the one that is interesting, Flash Factory.
Tom Dixon will man the Flash Factory booth. A furniture (lamp) shall be made on the spot demonstrating the future of design & the furniture production as well. His $175 digitally-manufactured Etch lamp will be made on the spot.
The concept is a process where in individual (or a client) can control the design, from conception down to the final few steps. Customized and at the same time mass produced. Power to the people.
Using the traditional processes, it is only when furniture manufacturers produce in bulk that they can push the prices down. By doing RnD (to make it sure it is safe, useful. economical and of course beautiful) for one particular product, one engineering plans & layout and using one-time produced jigs, patterns, moulds in the mass production, prices go south.
Other cause of delay and additional price add-up is the leadtime. The exchanges of ideas and instructions on how to go about the build. This interaction goes thru 2 – 4 people exchange (client, sales people, designer, craftsmen), that’s a day or two already. The preparation of the engineering drawing (2 – 3 DAYS). The actual production and hauling (3 to 6 WEEKS).
Tom Dixon hopes to do otherwise. He looks forward in the future-tech where-when individual can make customized furniture and furnishing on demand and on the spot.
His idea is great but will push a lot of people (craftsmen, designers as well) out of job and would affect furniture businesses that do thing as we know it now. Then again, by the time things are done in on-the-spot – rapid manufacturing mode, it could be…
A. We may already have the computer powered multi-axis automated machines that will do job as explained above.
B. The designers-craftsmen displaced by the machines may have their own furniture customized shops by then.
C. I may be retired by then, living in the hills and doing some cross-stitching or something.
Bright idea still.
Looking forward to his book series and the future of furniture industry as well.
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