Extraordinary material, extraordinary design

Thomas Heatherwick doesn't drink coffee. And as for coffee tables, well, he thinks they're a bit naff. But that didn't stop one he designed, simply called 'Plank' - which emerged from a brief during his MA at the Royal College of Art (RCA) - being included in the Design Council's 'Great Expectations' international touring exhibition, as an example of innovative British design.
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Thomas Heatherwick doesn’t drink coffee. And as for coffee tables, well, he thinks they’re a bit naff. But that didn’t stop one he designed, simply entitled Plank – which emerged from a brief during his MA at the Royal College of Art (RCA) – being included in the Design Council’s Great Expectations international touring exhibition, as an example of innovative British design.

‘I suppose that was my departure gate in furniture, given a brief to make a coffee table!’ admits Heatherwick, who has gone on to design city squares, bridges, a Buddhist temple and the largest outdoor sculpture in the UK. Oh… and handbags, too. But we can’t talk about that yet – although the 32-year old designer reveals they are for ‘a French manufacturer’.

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Michelle Draper
About the Author
Michelle lived and worked in Rome and London as a freelance feature writer for two and a half years before returning to Australia to take up the position of Head Writer for Arts Hub UK. She was inspired by thousands of years of history and art in Rome, and by London's pubs. Michelle holds a BA in Journalism from RMIT University, and also writes for Arts Hub Australia.