Wallpaper - 10.2019

This set of modular shelves

was designed to hold English

National Ballet artistic director

Tamara Rojo’s collection of

vinyl LPs. ‘I thought I would

turn the shelves at an oblique

angle so that Tamara could

see the covers and find what

she was looking for more

easily,’ says Gamper. Rather

than using glue, the shelving

is held together by one-sided

dovetail joints.

Project:
‘MUSICAL SHELF’

Designer:

MARTINO GAMPER

Institution:

ENGLISH NATIONAL

BALLET

Export Council (AHEC). Instigated by the leading

British designer John Sorrell, it sees London-based

cultural figures each commission an established

design studio to produce a ‘legacy’ piece (either

personal or for their respective institution). The final

designs will be made from American red oak and

shown at the Victoria & Albert Museum in London

in September, during the London Design Festival.

But first, the issue of that hinge. As members of the

Benchmark team – including co-founder Sean Sutcliffe –

discuss the problem with Raw-Edges, another featured

designer, Sebastian Cox, walks past. Putting secrecy

and rivalry aside, he is swept up in the conversation.

‘That was nice, how he became part of the scenario,’

Mer comments afterwards. ‘It’s very much a makers’

attitude here, which we can relate to,’ adds Alkalay.

Problem solved, each heads back to their separate

section of the workshop, which is buzzing with a

focused but convivial atmosphere.

‘It’s refreshing to have so many points of view,’ says

Sutcliffe. ‘We’ve got ten different projects all coming

together in this fevered way. We’re trying to get our (^) »
∑ 135
Design