Shoalhaven: Q&A with Designer Adam Cornish

Shoalhaven_Sofa_LoungeChair_Ottoman_EcoOutdoor

Shoalhaven: Q&A with Designer Adam Cornish

The Shoalhaven outdoor furniture collection embraces the juxtaposition of hard and soft. It features a lounge, lounge chair and ottoman, the collection is curved, full and elongated, with invisible welding of rolled aluminium and generous cushions sculpted into the oversized basket frame.

8 November, 2023

AdamCornish_Shoalhaven_LoungeChair_EcoOutdoor

Q: What inspired you to collaborate with Eco Outdoor?

𝗔𝗱𝗮𝗺 𝗖𝗼𝗿𝗻𝗶𝘀𝗵: I was excited by the brand's strong connection to authentic materials. From our very first meeting it was evident that allowing natural and raw materials to speak unashamedly was part of the brand ethos. This commonality was the genesis of our collaboration.   

About the Designer

Q: How did you answer the design brief?

𝗔𝗱𝗮𝗺 𝗖𝗼𝗿𝗻𝗶𝘀𝗵: The brief from the Eco Outdoor team was very open and blue-sky. We started simply with a material of interest (aluminum strip) and some potential stance and ergonomic gestures we wanted to encompass within this product. The beauty of a great design collaboration is the trust each party must give to the other. I have worked with metal extensively throughout my career, so for me it was about introducing a clean minimal metal design into the Eco Outdoor vernacular. Something strong and robust that celebrates the contrast of materials, not just the product materials, but the greater Eco Outdoor stone palette too. 

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"The beauty of a great design collaboration is the trust each party must give to the other."

Q: Tell us about that striking basket shape

𝗔𝗱𝗮𝗺 𝗖𝗼𝗿𝗻𝗶𝘀𝗵: The original working title for this collection was “nest”.  I was fascinated with the idea of creating a product that had a type of solid, seaming woven exterior structure, juxtaposed against a soft padded internal structure. The two opposing material qualities work in harmony to create a soft yet structured cocoon. The frame is intentionally graphic with strong clean lines, visually dissecting the upholstery.  

Q: What is the big win here?

𝗔𝗱𝗮𝗺 𝗖𝗼𝗿𝗻𝗶𝘀𝗵: This is always very hard for a designer to answer, as we are too close to the project. When I design something, I have an intentional personality in mind that I am trying to convey. This is not always easy to express through manufacturing processes and material realities. This collection really lives up to my expectations of the mood it creates. It conveys its personality and intended function with its presence, this is something I really love.