Robert Grimshaw

Working closely with a variety of industries, products can be manufactured that make relevant use of contemporary and historic production methods, celebrating the wealth of skill, knowledge and ingenuity that exist within localised production.

Through the formation of links between different manufacturers, design can be treated as a facilitative process, in which the creation of products can help to maintain social, economic and environmental sustainability.

Encouraging the user to engage with the manufacture of products, the resulting objects help to bring the industries that surround us into the foreground, finding new uses for the skills these people posses.

The work presented in this book is the result of some form of collaboration and would not have been possible without the help of the following people:

Paul RobertsRees WildeDeborah SmithThe ‘Purl’ Knitting CircleNick CranfieldSussex Beekeepers Association Brighton and Lewes Division

Production Partnership

Two businesses based in East Kent become partners to create a series of products. In this instance a sign maker in Ramsgate is paired with a seat weaver based in the neighbouring village of Wingham.

The process starts at Kent Waterjet Cutting ltd with its Co-founder, Paul Roberts.

Based at Ebbsfleet farm in Ramsgate, The waterjet cutting machinery is most commonly used to cut shop signs. By re-purposing the process to suit different outcomes we produce two chairs, each made from five plywood pieces that slot together to form 3D structures. The efficiency of the process means we are able to create two products that go from computerised images to tangible pieces of funiture in under an hour.

Similar to the ethos of a 19th century cottage industry, products are manufactured through a series of sub-contracted skills readily available in the area.

This supports the local industry, whilst the short distances travelled between each production stage maintains a low carbon footprint.

Receipt from Kent Waterjet Cutting ltd

In under an hour two chair frames are cut from 18mm plywood boards, assembled and left to dry out as Paul continues his work.

At the end of Paul’s shift we flat-pack the frames into his car are travel six miles across the A257 into the neighbouring village of Wingham.

The frames arrive at the home of seat weaver, Rees Wilde. From his home studio he upholsters the seats using traditional rush reed.

The final products highlight how co-manufacture can exist across diverse platforms, setting up links between industry and craft practices to create products that form an idiosyncratic, modern, local vernacular.

The plans for the chairs are made available to the public, allowing the new partnership to be emulated anywhere across the country in which these two trades exist.

Allowing access to the original plan encourages the user to re-interpret the cutting file and form their own version of the chair.

Knit Furniture

Using the Purl knitting circle as the driving force behind the project, furniture has been created that utilises a newly taught craft skill. The end products show how the trading of knowledge can create products that find innovative uses for certain skills and form new technical opportunities between crafts-people. The collaborative nature of the project encourages an accessible design process that engages the participants in skills outside of their normal periphery.

The garments that adorn the table and cabinet use knitted textiles as a means to join and upholster the structures. As no adhesives are used in the process, the products are able to be taken apart and have their garments changed.

Inspired by the ability to construct items on site, the clothing is made across a number of weeks at the Thursday night knitting club and then assembled with the wooden frames in shop, ready for sale.

Working alongside the ‘Purl’ knitting circle.

Research, models and drawings.

Experiments into Skep Manufacture

Typically, a Skep is a type of medieval bee-hive constructed from coils of straw that are bound together by cane to form a rigid structure. Today their use has altogether vanished due to their impracticality for the modern day bee keeper. As a result, the traditional craft of skep building is one that struggles to find relevance in modern society.

This project re-purposes these craft skills to suit different outcomes, making it possible to find a new outlet for the crafts people who practice the art of skep making. Three lamp shades have been produced that borrow from the traditional process, but are updated by their material components, form and purpose.

Traditionally made from any materials that were to hand, these contemporary alternatives examine the notion of 21st century locality. With a wider access to materials, processes and knowledge, products need not be restrained by location and can make responsible use of available goods and services.

Re-evaluating the term local to suit modern industry, many of the components used in the production are mass producible and available to purchase from the high street.