In The 50th Issue of est magazine, we asked ten of the world’s most in-demand architects and designers to share their five era-defining products.
Rachel Nolan and Patrick Kennedy established their Melbourne architecture practice Kennedy Nolan in 1999. Together, the architects yield evocative forms, colour, texture and light to respond to a diverse range of projects from education to interiors.
Rachel enjoys the playfulness of Vico Magistretti’s designs for Cassina. Designed in 1960, Magistretti’s red, wood and straw Carimate chair “Feels like it’s been made for a thoroughly modern Goldilocks,” Rachel says. “The Maralunga sofa is such a spirited and dynamic little creature. Its modest dimensions that defy how comfortable it is,” she adds.
Designed in 1951, the unexpected scale of the Akari UF3-Q lamp by Isamu Noguchi often finds its way into Kennedy Nolan’s work. “The paper light is nearly human in its size. It’s sturdy and fragile at once – it makes me think Noguchi had a sense of humour,” the architect says.
The Bramante table designed by Achille & Pier Giacomo Castiglioni, chosen for its adjustable feet, reveals Kennedy Nolan’s constant lens on functional and whimsical design; underscoring the Ikea IVAR modular shelving system. “Those who know me will understand how much I enjoy ‘entry-level’ Ikea,” Rachel says. “This modular classic is ageless, adaptive and affordable.”
Rosherville by Kennedy Nolan | Photography by Anson Smart
