Patty Johnson

Dd (David design) furniture, Sweden The idea for the Haida Chair originated during research and design project with Haida First Nations in the Pacific Northwest of Canada. It was inspired by the direct and beautiful  construction techniques of vernacular long house architecture. In a truly cross cultural collaboration, Dd produces an equally beautiful version that gives to life the original concept.

for Mabeo Furniture

As the Vodu artist transforms space to open the doors to imagination, Vodunuvo re-examines and transforms artefacts, reimagining them as products and objects that carry the essential culture of Haiti in a new form.   In contrast with our media led view of Haiti, the Vodunuvo collection presents something much more dynamic: a living breathing culture with a critical place in the contemporary design marketplace.

North South Project is a new model of design and craft collaborations. A coordinated program with craft production factories and indigenous producers in Botswana and Guyana, the aim is to create and brand new design products that use regional vocabularies to reach high end markets. visit northsouthproject.com

for Mabeo Furniture

A focus on producing unique regional hybrids that combine craft tradition and contemporary design process is the aim of New Caribbean Design. Through the push and pull of cross cultural collaboration the program balances traditional cultural practice in the Caribbean and forward-looking design solutions; developing new methods and new vernacular that respects and elevates local traditions. visit newcaribbeandesign.com

for Nienkamper

for Keilhauer

for Keilhauer

Mary Chair for Speke Klein. Installation at Massey College Chapel, University of Toronto, Canada

Haida Made is collaboration between designers Patty Johnson and Michael Erdmann and craftspeople from the Haida First Nations. Driven by urgent real world issues, the project aims to maximize the economic and cultural value of forest resources while protecting the health of forest ecosystems.

Disenos + Artesanias is a design platform created by Patty Johnson in Guanajuato, Mexico that draws together artisan production and contemporary design to create new ceramic product collections. The program illustrates how local and regional efforts can sometimes rebalance the often lopsided free flows of globalisation.