Marc Newson
Encyclopedia
Marc Newson was born in Sydney
, Australia
. Now based in London, he is a successful industrial designer who works in aircraft design, product design, furniture design, jewellery, and clothing. He incorporates a design style known as biomorphism
to his various designs. This style uses smooth flowing lines, translucency, transparency and tends to have an absence of sharp edges.
He is of Greek origins on his mother's side. He married Charlotte Stockdale in 2008 and has two children.
in jewellery and sculpture. In 1986 he was awarded a grant from the Australian Crafts Council and staged a first exhibition featuring the Lockheed Lounge. The following year he moved to Tokyo, where he lived and worked until he moved to Paris in 1991 where he set up a studio.
In 1997 he moved to London, where he and his partner Benjamin de Haan set up Marc Newson Ltd and still has a house in Paris. He is currently adjunct professor in design at Sydney College of the Arts
(where he first studied sculpture and jewellery) and is the creative director for Qantas. He co-founded and owns the Ikepod
watch company.
He describes his 1988 Embryo Chair as "one of the first pieces where I hit upon a discernible style." In 2005, he was selected as one of Time
magazine's 100 most influential people of the year.
His work has become amongst the highest selling in auctions. One of his three Lockheed Lounge chairs sold for $968,000 at Sotheby's
in 2006, and £1,100,000 at a 2009 auction at Phillips de Pury & Company
. At the 2006 Design Miami
fair he produced 12 Chop Top tables, all of which sold out in 20 minutes at an estimated $170,000.
Every year he races one of his four vintage sports cars - an Aston Martin
, a Lamborghini
, a Ferrari
and a Cisitalia
, in the Italian Mille Miglia
and was quoted as saying: "I'm not a motor head, I don't like the new versions of any of those cars."
Restaurant & Bar in New York in 2002 and the Canteen, also in New York, in 1999. In 2005 he designed the interiors of the Hotel Puerta America in Madrid.
He was selected as the artistic director for the 2011 Sydney New Year's Eve fire work display.
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. Now based in London, he is a successful industrial designer who works in aircraft design, product design, furniture design, jewellery, and clothing. He incorporates a design style known as biomorphism
Biomorphism
Biomorphism is an art movement that began in the 20th century. It patterns artistic design elements on naturally occurring patterns or shapes reminiscent of nature. Taken to its extreme it attempts to force naturally occurring shapes onto functional devices, often with mixed results.-History:The...
to his various designs. This style uses smooth flowing lines, translucency, transparency and tends to have an absence of sharp edges.
He is of Greek origins on his mother's side. He married Charlotte Stockdale in 2008 and has two children.
Career
In 1984 Newson graduated at the Sydney College of the ArtsSydney College of the Arts
The Sydney College of the Arts in Rozelle, Sydney, Australia is the visual arts faculty of the University of Sydney. It is housed in the Kirkbride complex, a cluster of sandstone buildings designed by James Barnet, the government architect in the late 19th century...
in jewellery and sculpture. In 1986 he was awarded a grant from the Australian Crafts Council and staged a first exhibition featuring the Lockheed Lounge. The following year he moved to Tokyo, where he lived and worked until he moved to Paris in 1991 where he set up a studio.
In 1997 he moved to London, where he and his partner Benjamin de Haan set up Marc Newson Ltd and still has a house in Paris. He is currently adjunct professor in design at Sydney College of the Arts
Sydney College of the Arts
The Sydney College of the Arts in Rozelle, Sydney, Australia is the visual arts faculty of the University of Sydney. It is housed in the Kirkbride complex, a cluster of sandstone buildings designed by James Barnet, the government architect in the late 19th century...
(where he first studied sculpture and jewellery) and is the creative director for Qantas. He co-founded and owns the Ikepod
Ikepod
The original Ikepod company was a Swiss wristwatch manufacturer, specializing in conceptual timepieces.Ikepod began in 1993, when Oliver Ike spotted the Australian designer Marc Newson due to his first publication in Europe. Together they completed their first prototype wristwatch called Seaslug...
watch company.
He describes his 1988 Embryo Chair as "one of the first pieces where I hit upon a discernible style." In 2005, he was selected as one of Time
Time (magazine)
Time is an American news magazine. A European edition is published from London. Time Europe covers the Middle East, Africa and, since 2003, Latin America. An Asian edition is based in Hong Kong...
magazine's 100 most influential people of the year.
His work has become amongst the highest selling in auctions. One of his three Lockheed Lounge chairs sold for $968,000 at Sotheby's
Sotheby's
Sotheby's is the world's fourth oldest auction house in continuous operation.-History:The oldest auction house in operation is the Stockholms Auktionsverk founded in 1674, the second oldest is Göteborgs Auktionsverk founded in 1681 and third oldest being founded in 1731, all Swedish...
in 2006, and £1,100,000 at a 2009 auction at Phillips de Pury & Company
Phillips de Pury & Company
Phillips de Pury & Company is an auction house and art dealership, with offices in London, New York, Geneva, Berlin, Brussels, Los Angeles, Milan, Munich and Paris. Phillips conducts auctions in New York, London and Geneva in the areas of Contemporary Art, Photography, 20-21st Century Design, Art...
. At the 2006 Design Miami
Design Miami
Design Miami/ is an international design show. Design Miami/ is held annually in December in Miami, Florida. Its sister show, Design Miami/ Basel, is held annually in June, in Basel, Switzerland....
fair he produced 12 Chop Top tables, all of which sold out in 20 minutes at an estimated $170,000.
Every year he races one of his four vintage sports cars - an Aston Martin
Aston Martin
Aston Martin Lagonda Limited is a British manufacturer of luxury sports cars, based in Gaydon, Warwickshire. The company name is derived from the name of one of the company's founders, Lionel Martin, and from the Aston Hill speed hillclimb near Aston Clinton in Buckinghamshire...
, a Lamborghini
Lamborghini
Automobili Lamborghini S.p.A., commonly referred to as Lamborghini , is an Italian car manufacturer. The company was founded by manufacturing magnate Ferruccio Lamborghini in 1963, with the objective of producing a refined grand touring car to compete with established offerings from marques like...
, a Ferrari
Ferrari
Ferrari S.p.A. is an Italian sports car manufacturer based in Maranello, Italy. Founded by Enzo Ferrari in 1929, as Scuderia Ferrari, the company sponsored drivers and manufactured race cars before moving into production of street-legal vehicles as Ferrari S.p.A. in 1947...
and a Cisitalia
Cisitalia
Cisitalia was an Italian sports and racing car constructor. The name "Cisitalia" derives from "Compagnia Industriale Sportive Italia", a business conglomerate founded in Turin in 1946 and controlled by the wealthy industrialist and sportsman Piero Dusio...
, in the Italian Mille Miglia
Mille Miglia
The Mille Miglia was an open-road endurance race which took place in Italy twenty-four times from 1927 to 1957 ....
and was quoted as saying: "I'm not a motor head, I don't like the new versions of any of those cars."
Transportation
- The MN bicycles for BiomegaBiomega (bicycles)Biomega is a Copenhagen-based, Danish brand of designer bicycles. It is known for engaging international top designers from outside the bicycle industry—including Marc Newson, Ross Lovegrove and Karim Rashid— in designing its products...
in 1999 - TrekTrek Bicycle CorporationTrek Bicycle Corporation is a major bicycle and cycling product manufacturer and distributor under brand names Trek, Gary Fisher, Bontrager, Klein and until recently, LeMond Racing Cycles...
Art Bike for Lance Amstrong LiveStrongLivestrongLivestrong can refer to the following items evolving from the Lance Armstrong Foundation:*Livestrong wristband, a yellow wristband*Livestrong Sporting Park, soccer stadium in Kansas City, Kansas...
(2009) - The Ford 021CFord 021CThe Ford 021C was a concept car first shown to the public at the 1999 Tokyo Motor Show. It was designed by Marc Newson and built by Ghia and was named after the Pantone orange colour. It was produced purely as a styling exercise and was not intended for production.-Design:The design was...
Concept Car for the Ford Motor CompanyFord Motor CompanyFord Motor Company is an American multinational automaker based in Dearborn, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. The automaker was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. In addition to the Ford and Lincoln brands, Ford also owns a small stake in Mazda in Japan and Aston Martin in the UK...
in 1999 - The QantasQantasQantas Airways Limited is the flag carrier of Australia. The name was originally "QANTAS", an initialism for "Queensland and Northern Territory Aerial Services". Nicknamed "The Flying Kangaroo", the airline is based in Sydney, with its main hub at Sydney Airport...
first class lounges in MelbourneMelbourneMelbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
and SydneySydneySydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people... - The Qantas 'Skybed' business class seat and Airbus 380 Economy Class Seat, winner of the 2009 Australian International Design Award of the Year
- Cabin design for the 'Sky Jet' (2007), an airline/rocketship (by EADS AstriumEADS AstriumAstrium Satellites is one of the three business units of Astrium, a subsidiary of EADS. It is a European space manufacturer involved in the manufacture of spacecraft used for science, Earth observation and telecommunication, as well as the equipment and subsystems used therein and related ground...
) planning to take passengers into space from 2012. - RivaFerretti GroupFerretti Group is one of the world leaders in the design, construction and sale of motor yachts with a portfolio of exclusive and prestigious brands of the nautical world: Ferretti Yachts, Ferretti Custom Line, Pershing, Itama, Riva, Bertram, Mochi Craft and CRN. The company initially produced...
Aquariva speedboat (announced in 2010, limited edition of 22 units)
Consumer goods
- Lockheed Lounge (designed in 1986 shortly after he graduated from school and one of the items that established Newson as a designer)
- Chop Top table
- New range for Smeg (appliances)Smeg (appliances)Smeg is an Italian manufacturer of upmarket domestic appliances.SMEG was founded by Vittorio Bertazzoni in 1948 as Smalterie Metallurgiche Emiliane Guastalla in the village of Guastalla, Reggio Emilia, Italy. The company is still in the private ownership of the Bertazzoni family, with Roberto...
in 2009-2010 - Furniture for Cappellini
- IkepodIkepodThe original Ikepod company was a Swiss wristwatch manufacturer, specializing in conceptual timepieces.Ikepod began in 1993, when Oliver Ike spotted the Australian designer Marc Newson due to his first publication in Europe. Together they completed their first prototype wristwatch called Seaslug...
watches - A collection of fittings and a sink for Ideal StandardIdeal StandardIdeal Standard International is a privately-held multinational plumbing fixture company based in Brussels, Belgium. Principally owned by Bain Capital Partners, it operates throughout the world except in North America where the formerly affiliated American Standard Brands operates which Bain...
in 2003 - A Magnum Presentation Set for Dom PerignonDom Pérignon (wine)Dom Pérignon is a brand of vintage Champagne produced by the Champagne house Moët & Chandon and serves as that house's prestige champagne. It is named after Dom Pérignon, a Benedictine monk who was an important quality pioneer for Champagne wine but who, contrary to popular myths, did not discover...
in 2006 and 2010 Black Box - The Dish Doctor for MagisMagisFor the Organization founded by Robert Spitzer, SJ go to Magis Institute.Magis is a Jesuit phrase that means "the more." It is taken from Ad majorem Dei gloriam, a Latin phrase meaning "for the greater glory of God." Magis refers to the philosophy of doing more, for Christ, and therefore for...
in 1997 - The Scope series of bags for SamsoniteSamsoniteThe Samsonite Corporation makes luggage with its products ranging from large suitcases to small toiletries bags and briefcases. It was started in Denver, Colorado, USA in 1910 byJesse Shwayder, as the Shwayder Trunk Manufacturing Company. Shwayder named one of his initial cases "Samson", after the...
- The Atmos 561 and 566 Clocks for Jaeger LeCoultre
- Cookware for TefalTefalTefal is a French cookware and small appliance manufacturer owned by Groupe SEB. Its name is a portmanteau of the words TEFlon and ALuminium.Tefal is known for creating the non-stick cookware category....
- Items for Alessi
- Clothes for the clothing company G-Star Raw
- Timepieces for freelance companies
- Kelvin 40 concept plane as a personal project
Restaurants and events
Newson designed the Lever HouseLever House
Lever House, designed by Gordon Bunshaft of Skidmore, Owings and Merrill and located at 390 Park Avenue in New York City, is the quintessential and seminal glass-box skyscraper built in the International style according to the design principles of Ludwig Mies van der Rohe. Completed in 1952, it was...
Restaurant & Bar in New York in 2002 and the Canteen, also in New York, in 1999. In 2005 he designed the interiors of the Hotel Puerta America in Madrid.
He was selected as the artistic director for the 2011 Sydney New Year's Eve fire work display.
Books
Marc Newson. Design tra organicità e fantascienza by Cinzia Ferrara, Milano, Lupetti, 2005. ISBN 888391127XExternal links
- Marc Newson Ltd. homepage
- Design Museum: Marc Newson
- Marc Newson - Design Dictionary Illustrated article about Marc Newson (also containing a portrait photo of him)
- G-Star Raw's official website
- KDDI au: au design project > talby
- Ikepod Watch
- Various objects designed by Marc Newson from the collection of the Powerhouse Museum