How does your culture/background affect the designs you come up with?
Living in such a big city as Mexico City, it is hard not to be shaped by our surroundings. Our backgrounds share some things and differ in some, but they are always there during the creative process. This generates a wide variety of points of view and approaches to a matter that eventually turn into an object.
Do you believe that heritage is an important part of design?
Yes, heritage plays a fundamental role in the creation of a concept. Of course, the capacity of interpretation, redefinition and innovation around this concept is what makes it an important part of design.
How far would you go to source your materials when designing?
As far as you have to. As every project is different, sometimes material becomes the first priority. The most important thing, though, is that the design works as a whole. In the specific case of the Pack of Dogs, we made prototypes in several types of wood until we found the right one. The Dogs are now made from ‘young’ teak, which has greater proportions of lighter sapwood than mature teak trees, and this fact accounts for the distinctive contrast with the darker heartwood. It gives the whole character to the piece.
Is the use of natural materials important to you?
It all depends on the project and its purpose. The manufacturing process and materials of the pieces change from the conceptual to the production stages. Layers of requirements are added as the piece progresses, mainly due to financial and environmental considerations, which determine whether the use of natural materials is important.
Do you have a favourite place for inspiration for both products and materials?
We all live in Mexico City, which is a huge, diverse place, so that would be our most common source of inspiration. However, inspiration can come at any time in any place.
Where do you see the future of design/the beds of the future?
It seems that nowadays people have to sleep in different places all the time, away from the comfort and calm of their own beds. We think the future of bed design has to follow this need and find a way to bring comfort to all these places, whether it’s an airplane or a train station.
A good night’s sleep is one of life’s unbeatable luxuries, what do you think are the essential ingredients for the perfect bedroom?
This definitely depends on the individual, but it probably has to do with ingredients that appeal to your senses the most: a colour, a sound, a silence, a texture or a smell.
Among several other top quality materials Hastens uses slow-grown pine from Northern Sweden to create its beds. Does Nel use any indigenous materials from its country of origin, Mexico in its designs?
The Pack of Dogs, for example, is manufactured by Proteak. The pieces are made from young teak slow-grown and harvested along Mexico’s Pacific Coast and certified by the FSC.
How do you think your design philosophy matches the Hastens philosophy?
We think the two design philosophies match in that Hästens doesn’t compromise on quality in its products. In the same way, we try not to compromise the concept of our designs and we try to do whatever it takes to get the message/concept through.
Where is the most comfortable place you’ve ever slept?
Home.
How do you think the quality of your work compares to the handmade quality of Hastens bed?
Many of our designs are also handmade. In the specific case of the Pack of Dogs, the young teak is cut into small chunks that are selected and arranged according to the grain. In this way each piece is different and unique.
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