andrew thornton hick design  

Foranaft – stackable coffee stool / chair
FORANAFT is an outdoor, stackable coffee stool/chair designed for fast-paced urban cafe’s with a rapid turnover of clientele in an urban streetscape. Inspired by Western Australian’s unique geography, the layers of marine ply and zinc alum spacers visually reiterate the layering of rock strata visible along our coast line and in particular, the gradations visible in cliff faces such as the famous Wave Rock near Hyden, WA. The use of repetitive layers in both the laminations of ply and also in the use of zinc-alum washers, mirrors this formation in both form and colour – a match carefully sought through the selection of materials for aesthetic as well as for function. This original design was done whilst Andrew Thornton Hick studied at the Western Australian School of Art and Design (WASAD). At the time 3D CNC routers were not available in Perth so this prototype was made entirely by his hand in a workshop. The FORANAFT chair, initially penned STRATA in 1999, is named to illustrate the passage of time through technology in the furniture industry.

Street Lights – Pendant Lights
The striking 'Street Lights' are made from recycled verge waste, and come in five designs named after the streets from which their own materials were salvaged: Stanley Street, Murray Street, Grant Street, James Street and Eric Street. "The lights are a literal product of a research project into sustainable living and minimising our ever-growing waste stream. The aim of these creations is to highlight and reverse our buying patterns." said Andrew Thornton Hick. “To encourage people to question the useful life of a product before purchasing, as opposed to before discarding”. Featured in the new Tri-Council Library in Cottesloe, the street lights were selected by chief architect Christian Wetjen of Cox Howlett & Bailey Woodland. These designs now make up a part of one of Australia’s most eco-aware buildings.

In the permanent (re)collection – Mirror sculpture
This rear lit mirror was designed in 2009 to celebrate and draw attention to the re-opening of the National Museum of Iraq in Bahgdad. Closed since the 2003 incursion, the museum had over 16,000 pieces destroyed or stolen in what was described by Jacques Shirac as a crime against humanity. In 2009 the museum re-opened only 9 of the 42 rooms.
This sculptural piece draws attention to the fact that in the face of such material loss, the spirit and resolve of the Iraqi people cannot be extinguished. The laser engraved lines in this mirror sculpture, influenced by traditional rug motifs, allow hope to shine through.