The allure of venturing into the great outdoors for a few days will never cease. When the going gets tough and the challenges of the world seem insurmountable, a trip deep into the reaches of unspoiled nature is almost always the right antidote. Camping, however, doesn’t mean one has to entirely rid themselves of acculturated conveniences. It doesn’t mean they should completely replicate or exceed the creature comforts of home with elaborate glamping accoutrements either. The middle road can be exactly what the doctor ordered. But for it to work, the right equipment is essential. These carefully calibrated tools, furnishings even, should get the job done well and only when that’s achieved, sport a bit of stylistic flourish or incorporate technological advancements.
Famous for his “supper normal” re-calibration of everyday furniture, lighting, and device typologies, British designer Jasper Morrison has just launched an outdoor product collection with Danish brand HAY that facilitates the median. The simple implementation of colorful strip patterns on incorporated upholstery and the gleaming iridescence of the laid bare metal used accomplishes the second task, not as an added layer of superfluous aesthetic intervention, but as an incidental byproduct of the new, if just slightly, anomalous forms; responding to an intensive, if just slight, reassessment of function conducive to present day need.
Funny enough, the aesthetic outcome of this process emerged as nostalgic. Bypassing the pitfalls of overly engineered gear with too many bells and whistles lead to the rediscovery of shapes and mechanics that have and will continue to transcend time. The aim here for Morrison, however, wasn’t to create artifacts with so-called timeless appeal, nor objects with fleeting novelty, but rather designs that carry a degree of familiarity and relatable emotional resonance. Sustainable strategy—the deft implementation of durable water-lacquered beech wood and stainless steel—didn’t need to be explicit, shouted out loud. Ease of use and perceptible simplicity sounds louder.
“For us, Jasper is a master of everyday objects,” said Mette Hay, co-founder of HAY. “He has an incredible ability to make the ordinary feel essential, a perspective that closely aligns with our approach to design, where usefulness and longevity are central.”
The comprehensive range is as suited for a few days prospecting in the wilderness as for a beach day, afternoon picnic, or evening backyard hang. Included are folding armchairs and love seats that can be quickly stored away. They’re far more refined and essentialized than the unsightly, collapsible metal pole camping chairs sold at the local camping store. It makes the prospect of spontaneously heading out far more appealing and tenable.
Alongside the more structural Canopy and Folding Tables are the Cooler, Bottle, and Picnic Bags. Formed like two intersection cones, the BBQ and Firepit products are as straightforward in their function as they are satisfying in their countered shape. The adjoining Plates, Pans, Grills, Tongs, Forks, and Skewers round-out the proposition. Bringing in that nostalgic feel are the Brooms and Dust Pan.
The collection is now available at both MoMA Design Store and through Design Within Reach. To shop, visit store.moma.org and dwr.com, respectively.
Photography courtesy of HAY.
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