Radical Thinking by Dominic Meyrick of Hoare Lea
Dominic Meyrick, partner at Hoare Lea, on what he considers radical thought
Can you pinpoint the thought that led you to a career in design?
I went to an all-boys private school back in the 1970s and was rubbish at everything academic. I found solace in the prefab woodwork shed. Mr Young, the woodwork teacher, was brilliant – you could go in and make anything. When I was 16 they started calling ‘woodwork’ ‘design and technology’ – that was the first time I had heard the word ‘design’ within that context. I was hooked.
In terms of the design and architecture industry, what do you consider the most radical era or pivotal moment?
The 1980s with the Memphis Group and Ettore Sottsass. I studied industrial design at Newcastle poly in the 1980s and Memphis was hugely influential – I loved the colour and the vitality and was impressed by the questioning of the status quo: why do things look the way they do? Can they be different? Why can’t shelves be at an unconventional angle, or a lamp be shaped like a colourful dachshund? Memphis’s influence can be seen in James Dyson’s work – a vacuum cleaner without a bag – and in the translucent box that is Jonathan Ive’s iMac.
Which radical thinkers have been an inspiration to you in your career?
In addition to Ettore Sottsass, Fred Baier, furniture designer – take a look at the Star Wars table.
Hoare Lea worked with Steuart Padwick on his sculpture Talk to Me
Who are the radical thinkers that inspire you now?
John Soanes, and also the architect of the Sydney Opera House, Jørn Utzon. Both design with daylight and have an amazing understanding of how daylight can move around a building.
We worked with Steuart Padwick on his sculpture Talk to Me. I am impressed by the way Steuart uses sculpture to raise awareness about mental health issues.
Who outside the industry can architects and designers learn from?
- People in the digital realm – who understand coding and the digitalisation of information.
- Craftspeople who make things with their hands.
- Specialists and experts who give focussed attention – so, coders and makers from whom we can learn, particularly in the maker movement.
What will lead the way for more radical thinking in your field?
The digital realm will lead the way, becoming increasingly non-rival, so that everyone can view and interact with information. This will change lighting, design and architecture.
Could you recommend a book/article/blog that inspired your thinking?
The Second Machine Age: Work, Progress, and Prosperity in a Time of Brilliant Technologies by Erik Brynjolfsson and Andres McAfee.
Can you name two buildings that you consider radical designs of their time, or perhaps still today?
The Northern Line railway platforms [in London]. The fluorescent lamps along the middle of the ceiling are positioned so that the light illuminates the whole of the circular reveal. And Bagsværd Church, Copenhagen, Denmark – designed in 1968 by Jørn Utzon. It may not have the prettiest exterior, but the interior, with the use of daylight, is amazing.
I think best with… (my hands/a pencil/ a computer)
I think best with a computer because lighting can’t be drawn. I manipulate light and therefore have to consider the finish – a computer is the way to find out how things will look.
I think best… (first thing in the morning/last thing at night)
I think best first thing in the morning.
I think best when… (in a gallery/at home/ outside/over drinks/with friends/on the bus)
I think best when I’m walking. [It’s been said that] ‘all truly great thoughts are conceived while walking’ (Friedrich Nietzsche, Twilight of the Idols); ‘I only went out for a walk and finally concluded to stay out till sundown, for going out, I found, was really going in’ (John Muir, John of the Mountains: The Unpublished Journals of John Muir).
Meyrick recommends turning the pages of this
The thought that keeps me up at night is…
That we don’t care about the planet – look at the way lights are left on. Efficient light sources are all very well, but we should remember that the most efficient source is one that is off.
The thought that gets me out of bed each day is …
What lighting am I going to create today – I really love lighting design.
Do you think with or think against?
I tend to ‘think against’ – it helps me to clarify my position if someone has the opposite view.
If you weren’t a lighting designer where do you think your way of thinking would have led you?
Product design.
Could you describe radical thinking in three words:
Distillation. Different. Why?
What’s the most radical thing you’ve come across today or this week?
Dates filled with peanut butter.
Dominic Meyrick has more than 30 years’ experience as a lighting designer. At Hoare Lea he leads Lighting Design, which incorporates Daylight Design, Environmental Light and CGI, providing advice on all aspects of artificial and natural light. He passionately believes in the importance of creating high-quality lit environments and ensuring that lighting complements the visual impression, while minimising energy use. Projects include Sidra Medical & Research Centre, Doha, Qatar; Heathrow T2A; and Trinity Hall, Dining Hall, Cambridge University.
