Marc Newson
Marc Newson is a man with an agenda to change the world. He has designed almost everything, from torches and watches to cars and jets and in 2005 he was voted by Time magazine as one of the world’s 100 most influential people to add to his already big list of achievements.
Marc was born and raised in Sydney, Australia back in 1963. After spending much of his childhood traveling, he later moved on to attend Sydney College of the Arts. He enjoyed studying jewe
lry, sculpture and design. In 1986 he put his exhibits on display at Lockheed Lounge, which was located at the Roslyn Oxley Gallery and won many awards for his designs. In 1987, while in London, he designed the “Pod of Drawers” design. This design was made entirely of materials that had been stolen from the “model-making workshop”. He worked at this workshop only part time. He opted to change his style to the sleek, luxuriant industrial style which would become his signature starting with the 1988 Embryo Chair which he describes as one of the first pieces where he hit upon a discernible style.
Newson then opened a studio in 1991, at Paris rag trade district. Cappellini and Moroso, both prestigious European manufacturers, offered him commissions to put his pieces into production. In 1993 he designed Helis Lamps and very distinct TV chairs and also developed the bizarre “Sea slug watch”. In the mid 90s’ he went on to design the restaurants Coast in London, Osman in Cologne, Mash & Air in Manchester and Canteen in Manhattan.
In 1997, he moved back to London and set-up Marc Newson Ltd which was designed to tackle more ambitious industrial projects. He has since designed glassware, furniture, lighting and household objects, and kitchen and bathroom accessories. He also designed bicycles for Biomega, a very interesting car called the, “concept car” which was for Ford Motors and the Falcon 900B long range jet. Between 2003 and 2004, Newson designed the Qantas Sky Bed for Qantas, Lever House Restaurant, the Kelvin 40 Concept jet, and Pod watch among many other outstanding designs.
Marc Newson is certainly a man of many skills and as such he has received many awards in recognition to his contribution to the world of design. In 2006 he was appointed as the “Royal Designer for Industry” by the Royal Society for the encouragement of Art, Manufactures and Commerce in the UK. He was also named as the Designer of the Year by Design Miami/Basel.
Not only was he named as one of the world’s 100 most influential people by Time magazine in 2005, he was also awarded The Chicago Athenaeum Good Design Award twice for two different designs.
One of his most successful years by far was 2004 where Newson received 7 awards in recognition of his designs in design and decoration, bathroom and kitchen products, and restaurants.
His work has become amongst the highest selling in auctions. His Lockheed Lounge sold for $968,000 at Sotheby's in 2006 and at that year's Design Miami fair he produced 12 Chop Top tables, all of which sold out in 20 minutes at an estimated $170,000.