Architect Malaika Carr launches Arco Studio

Left, ‘Arco’ and ‘Open Stepped’ rings. Right, ‘Double Arc’ earring, all in sterling silver

(Image credit: press)

Practising architect Malaika Carr, has named her unisex jewellery brand Arco Studio after the Spanish word for 'arc' – one of the most complex structural forms. Curving shapes are also prevelant in her minimalist and sharp designs.

‘Being an architect has given me a clear set of parameters to work within,’ Carr explains. ‘I concentrate on function, scale and precision. When you design a building, you think of the end user and how you can make them fall in love with the spaces. The same thread of thought translates to when I think of jewellery. However, I often imagine that the end user is me.'

New collections will take inspiration from buildings she loves, or the style of a particular architect. Carr cites Venetian architect Carlo Scarpa as the influence for this collection, in particular his La Tomba Brion, a striking space contoured in layered ridges cast in concrete.

Fusing the modern with the classical, his linear lines and intricate detailing are reflected in jewellery in sterling silver, both gold plated and left clean. Sculptural necklaces are fluid like the curves of Scarpa's building, while sharply defined earrings and rings echo the geometric detailing in his work. ‘Using such solid materials was very satisfying; it gives the pieces a nice weight,’ Carr says. ‘The result is versatile and timeless.'

Layered earring — Left, ‘Arco’ and ‘Open Arco’ rings. Right, ‘Layered’ earring, all in sterling silver

Linear&rsquo; earring — Left, ‘Stepped Arc’ earring. Right, ‘Linear’ earring, both in sterling silver

INFORMATION

For more information, visit the Arco Studio website

Hannah Silver is the Art, Culture, Watches & Jewellery Editor of Wallpaper*. Since joining in 2019, she has overseen offbeat art trends and conducted in-depth profiles, as well as writing and commissioning extensively across the worlds of culture and luxury. She enjoys travelling, visiting artists' studios and viewing exhibitions around the world, and has interviewed artists and designers including Maggi Hambling, William Kentridge, Jonathan Anderson, Chantal Joffe, Lubaina Himid, Tilda Swinton and Mickalene Thomas.