Behind the Scenes: Spring Equinox Edition

The concept behind the theme and items in the Spring Equinox Edition have been ruminating in our heads since last fall. The process to get to the final designs was cyclical, starting and ending with similar ideas, and eventually manifesting as the Reflection Vase, Still Life with Mirror Photo Print and in their respective forms.

In this edition, there was a focus on the creative outputs of one studio, Mercury Bureau, and exploring the different ways they wanted to express the curatorial theme of rebirth. What produced was a meditation on the liminal space in a growth cycle, inspired by the promising spring buds peaking through from deep in the earth. Thinking of those buds, design conversations led to products that encouraged admiration of plant life. 

Follow along with a pictorial journey through the design process of the edition:

Photo #1 & #2: Spring growth in the Nordheimer Ravine, Toronto. The starting inspiration behind the products in the edition. 

Photo #3: Early test shots for the photo print done by Mercury Bureau. 

 

Photo #4: One of the options that was not selected for the photo print. 

 

Photo #5: The final photo prints fresh from the printers, waiting to be cut down to size. 

 

Photo #6: A peak at sketches of the Reflection Vase

 

Photo #7: A foam prototype of the Reflection Vase to test it's functionality - specifically how a stem would balance within the water chamber. 

 

Photo #8: After dimensions and design were confirmed, a 3D Printed prototype was made. This is the blueprint for all future casting of the vases. 

 

Photo #9 & #10: After the vases are cast in Aluminum, they are filed and sanded before being sent to be powder coated. 

 

Photo #11: Final step before powder coating is drilling a hole in the based of the form for it to hang in the coating process. 

Photo #12: One of the first vases to come from the powder coaters, encased in that lovely dark grey green we chose. 

I personally learned so much about product design and production through this process and am forever thankful to Mercury Bureau for their guidance.