CURVES
CURVES AHEAD
WHY CREATIVE MINDS DON’T THINK STRAIGHT
The Akina from Corbett Lighting seems to capture two undulating waves.
T E X T PAUL HAGEN
L izzo may have taught the world a thing or two about embracing curves, but humanity’s fascina- tion with the form is deep-seated. In fact, CNN has reported on scientists that studied the reactions of the human brain to images of interiors. They found that the subjects overwhelmingly preferred spaces with some swerve. But how do these shapes end up manifesting themselves when it comes to good design? Ben Marshall, creative di- rector at Hudson Valley Lighting Group, spoke to GPS Living about how some of their curviest collaborations have come into being—and why he thinks such shapes continue to hold lasting appeal. “Our collaborations with outside tastemakers are pretty organic,” Marshall explains. “We begin with inspiration—it’s the key.” But it is a long journey from first envisioning the shape of a piece to bringing it into being. Next come draw- ings and renderings. These are followed by meetings with designers and decision-makers. “The more eyes the better,” Marshall says of this stage of the collaborative process. Next, engineers build physical manifestations of the de- signs—all this before a product ever reaches a customer. But why do curves so consistently call people back for more? “I believe the silhouette is extremely important,” says
This Becki Owen collab with Hudson Valiey has UFO flair.
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