FOR AWARD-WINNING Australian designer Trent Jansen,
designing is about creating sustainable, long-lasting
pieces that touch people and connect with their cultural pieces that touch people and connect with their cultural
mmememories. In 2016 Trent collaborated with Tait —ories. In 2016 Trent collaborated with Tait — the the
famfamily-owned outdoor furniture comily-owned outdoor furniture company based in pany based in
MMelbourne —elbourne — to design the Tidal collection of chairs to design the Tidal collection of chairs
and tables. It was the perfect brief for himand tables. It was the perfect brief for him..
“The brief from“The brief from Tait was a really strong narrative request Tait was a really strong narrative request
and quite specific in asking for pieces designed for the and quite specific in asking for pieces designed for the
poolside, but that spoke of the Australian outdoors and poolside, but that spoke of the Australian outdoors and
specifically with a nostalgia for the beach lifestyle of the specifically with a nostalgia for the beach lifestyle of the
1970s,” Trent says. “It really grabbed m1970s,” Trent says. “It really grabbed me. At the time. At the time, I was e, I was
in the min the middle of a PhD looking into Australian middle of a PhD looking into Australian myths that yths that
were connected to Australian identity. For mwere connected to Australian identity. For me it’s ime it’s important portant
to have a narrative. I can generate ideas without it, but I find to have a narrative. I can generate ideas without it, but I find
mmyself questioning the necessity for those things to exist.”yself questioning the necessity for those things to exist.”
Trent began researching the Australian surfer archetype Trent began researching the Australian surfer archetype
and beachside mand beachside myths in search of inspiration, though the yths in search of inspiration, though the
Australian coastline is deeply emAustralian coastline is deeply embedded in his own history bedded in his own history
and experiences. “I like the ocean and I guess it’s part of and experiences. “I like the ocean and I guess it’s part of
mmy psyche in somy psyche in some way,” he says. Now 35, Trent grew up e way,” he says. Now 35, Trent grew up
in Kiamin Kiama on the NSWa on the NSW South Coast and today lives in the South Coast and today lives in the
seaside suburb of Thirroul, 50 kilomseaside suburb of Thirroul, 50 kilometres north of his etres north of his
childhood homchildhood home, with his partner and their seven-me, with his partner and their seven-month-onth-
old daughter. “I’mold daughter. “I’m not a surfer m not a surfer myself, but living in Thirroul yself, but living in Thirroul
I’mI’m surrounded by them surrounded by them; all m; all my friends are surfers. So, in y friends are surfers. So, in
the end I designed the three chairs in the Tidal range based the end I designed the three chairs in the Tidal range based
on three different stages of wave formon three different stages of wave formation as a wave mation as a wave moves oves
towards shore. The four tables in the collection were loosely towards shore. The four tables in the collection were loosely
based on water spouts that touch down to the sea.”based on water spouts that touch down to the sea.”
The Tidal collection is mThe Tidal collection is made fromade from stainless steel wire, stainless steel wire,
which also fits with Trent’s philosophy when it comwhich also fits with Trent’s philosophy when it comes to es to
mmaterials. “I tend to use only elematerials. “I tend to use only elemental mental materials in materials in my y
work —work — stone and m stone and metal, timetal, timber and ceramber and ceramic —ic — and could and could
never think of designing anything plastic. I feel the reason never think of designing anything plastic. I feel the reason
for designing with a strong narrative is to give an object for designing with a strong narrative is to give an object
value, so it will be loved and kept for a long timvalue, so it will be loved and kept for a long time; it doesn’t e; it doesn’t
mmake sense to do that in a make sense to do that in a material that will perish quickly.”aterial that will perish quickly.”
Trent’s design bent goes back to his youth. “As a kid, I had Trent’s design bent goes back to his youth. “As a kid, I had
an interest in architecture, but when I went to university it an interest in architecture, but when I went to university it
was with the intention of becomwas with the intention of becoming a graphic designer.” ing a graphic designer.”
It was while studying a Bachelor of Design at the University It was while studying a Bachelor of Design at the University
of NSWof NSW College of Fine Arts (now U College of Fine Arts (now UNSWNSW Art and Design) Art and Design)
that he was introduced to furniture and object design. “The that he was introduced to furniture and object design. “The
scale really spoke to mscale really spoke to me,” he says. “Me,” he says. “My my mind doesn’t work so ind doesn’t work so
well at the large scale of architecture, nor the smwell at the large scale of architecture, nor the small scale as all scale as
a graphic designer, but with furniture I have a good ma graphic designer, but with furniture I have a good mental ental
imimage of scale and proportion.” age of scale and proportion.”
It was also at this timIt was also at this time he was introduced to the concept e he was introduced to the concept
of design anthropology —of design anthropology — how design helps define what it how design helps define what it
mmeans to be humeans to be human —an — and the work of Dutch design com and the work of Dutch design company pany
Droog. “They had this really dry sense of humDroog. “They had this really dry sense of humour as part of our as part of
their work. I have Dutch heritage and it connected with mtheir work. I have Dutch heritage and it connected with me e
on a personal level. I love the narrative and comon a personal level. I love the narrative and commmunicative unicative
ability of that work, where it was mability of that work, where it was more than just an object.”ore than just an object.”
A study exchange at the University of Alberta in EdmA study exchange at the University of Alberta in Edmonton, onton,
Canada, further consolidated his sense of direction. “It was Canada, further consolidated his sense of direction. “It was
a school that taught a very ma school that taught a very modernist, problemodernist, problem-solving -solving
approach, and it mapproach, and it made made me realise that there was a lot me realise that there was a lot more ore
soul, depth and profoundness in work that has somsoul, depth and profoundness in work that has something ething
to say... and mto say... and more than anything it solidified for more than anything it solidified for me the e the
imimportance of narrative-driven design.”portance of narrative-driven design.”
For mFor more informore information about Trent’s work, telephone ation about Trent’s work, telephone
(02) 8005 0697 or visit trentjansen.com(02) 8005 0697 or visit trentjansen.com“I’m“I’m not a surfer m not a surfer myself, but living yself, but living
in Thirroul I’min Thirroul I’m surrounded by them surrounded by them; ;
all mall my friends are surfers.”y friends are surfers.”
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