How to create a design icon? A question many designers ask themselves

I’m a minimalist designer, so I don’t like minimalism, otherwise I would not have a critical analysis on what I do. But there is a design piece that impressed me and it is the real essence of minimalism, using the most basic shape but creating some kind of romantic empathy with the user. It is called Annular and it is designed by the Canadian studio MSDS.

Being minimal, essential, doing the most with less, is some kind of design mantra. And when you do it, applause. But it is a thin line to walk on, if you cross it, you may fall into banality or extremism (even if there are some “villains” pursuing those too). So it is so rare to find a real masterpiece, something that can really be defined as a well executed project in minimalism. We may have some glorious references like Michael Anastassiades, who is spreading his (and his team’s) work through the most successful companies around, who are capable of understanding where the hot point is.

But what about the rest of the world?

An overview of the Annular lamp project

I was talking with a friend about some design rules I use to understand if a project I’m doing is really relevant in terms of the relationship between minimalism and effectiveness and he said “I saw a lamp during a fair that is a truly masterpiece”. That lamp was Annular, designed by MSDS studio and produced by Woud.

What I love about the Annular lamp are the levels of reading (which has been confirmed later by one of the studio founders, Jonathan, during a conversation) that it gives. On one side you see a suspended cone, but when you see it more carefully, you will notice the ring of light all along the border and the emptiness inside. The real magic of this lighting design is when you expect a bulb, instead you meet a LED ring that is explaining the concept behind the lamp. The juicy part is right here, in these words. You can’t simply describe it, you must see it to understand, and you can’t feel the magic until you see it live. No need to be explained, just watch.

It was incredible because it is a nice sensation that I have, as a designer, just when I look at things made really well in design terms. It is a feeling that only maestros can spread and sometimes you are influenced by the big name that is behind the object that you are looking at. In this case I was totally pure for any preconcept.

Then I decided to explore better the author of the lamp, MSDS, which is a design duo based in Canada composed by Jonathan Sabine and Jessica Nakanishi. In reality I figured out that I already knew their work, they have some famous pieces for +Halle and Muuto. Their approach to the design is quite discrete and unique, everything is connected by an invisible line that in some way lets us understand their design philosophy without shouting it.

I wanted to understand more about Annular, so I reached Jonathan out to have a casual conversation and understand who are the people behind those objects.

The real pain when you design such a direct and simple object is the one that me, as designer, and probably you, as designer too, face the most when it comes to finding a producer for a good idea born between the walls of your studio: convince a good brand to produce it. In fact Jonathan also confirmed that to find a house for a product like Annular, a pdf with few renderings is not enough.

A prototype is the key to show the product in its full potential.

Working with minimalism may lead to thinking that a thing is easy, while the juicy part is the construction or in the sensation that it can really bring when you see it alive. And this is a game that is hard to afford if you don’t have big shoulders.

First you must understand by yourself that a more refined presentation is needed and when you are the author, sometimes it’s difficult to see things from an outer perspective. Second, it requires investment, so you really must think that what you are doing is the right thing, otherwise it will remain a concept on the shelf.

Interviewing other designers also made me understand that playing it hard is the standard and that the game is never as easy as it may look. It needs consistency and a strong design philosophy to spread real value in objects in order to give to the world something that doesn’t just look nice but has an attitude and a story to spread.