Duncan has a very interesting and revolutionary way to design furniture with the correct relationship between light, shadow, and light dispersion as a vital part of his designs. Some of his tasteful designs are Cracked Log Lamps and Propeller Pendant light. His mesmerizing work is exhibited in many countries throughout the world.

Can you tell us more about your journey of becoming a designer?D: I came at becoming a designer from an interest in making. I always had a bit of an interest in making things; through this I got more interested in the more creative side of things through Design.

What is the process involved in creating Cracked Log Lamps? Where do you get the inspiration for your innovative designs?D: A number of my designs have come about from experimenting with the actual physical materials. The Cracked Log Lamps for example came about through having a reject log and noticing the cracks. These cracks are what made the log not useful for many other applications. I wondered what the log would look like if light came from these defects. It was almost a whimsical sort of an idea, but representative of one of the major influences of how I design. Many of my designs have come about this way, through having some physical material in front of me and playing around with this, how it influences light dispersion and form. AN example of this is the Propeller light, the first one of these came about through me having a bunch of tear drop / petal shapes in front of me with the grain direction going in different ways and this gave the petal its twisted form. From this I came up with the full propeller style design.

What is your favorite design so far and why?D:  I think the design I was finally happy to get resolved was the Propeller Pendant light. It took a long time to get it ready for production. The original prototype was made in late 2011 and it was only in mid-2015 that I had a design which I was happy with. The process took quite a while and I had almost given up on making the Propeller form with its independent blade/petal arrangement. Getting this resolved, with the form I wanted, yet being able to flat pack it was especially important to me and being able to do so has been a challenge, yet a rewarding one.

Who is your favorite designer? Which of his/her design you liked the most and why?D: I think one of my favourite Designers would be David Trubridge. I think his approach to design has been an interesting one, it really takes into account the effects his practise has on the environment and peopl. I was lucky enough to undertake a short mentorship/internship at the David Trubridge facility in late 2011 and being able to observe this very unique facility and learn about how it works was great. A number of his designs I like, especially some of the larger more complicated flat pack designs in the Trubridge range.

What do you like about nature? You are using wood in all your products. What will be the next material you would like to work with?D: Something about nature relaxes me, it has quite a cathartic effect. I think a lot of humans find this, it is almost an instinctual attraction. A lot of the time I try to use timber, partly for its aesthetic appeal, but also as the material if harvested responsibly can be one of the more sustainable options. I have used a number of materials through my design practise, including aluminium and porcelain. Some of the forms which you can get with slip casting are particularly interesting and maybe this could be something I integrate into one of my next designs.

Who is your inspiration?D: A number of people inspire me in particular the goals of the organisation of Kanthari. The organisation itself aims to empower people to start their own socially and ethically minded projects. I think the goals of the founders Sabriye Tenberken and Paul Kronenburg were very forward thinking in beginning this organisation and the idea of empowering people who have overcome social adversity to work on projects which empower people like themselves is a great idea. Paul and Sabriye started another organisation called Braile without Borders a training institute for the blind in Tibet. Watching a movie about this organisation called “Blindsight” is what got me interested in Kanthari and BWB.

What are your other hobbies?D: I enjoy a number of different things separate to Design and making, but one of the major ones would be rock climbing. I enjoy the outdoors and having a bit of an adventure. Tasmania, where I am from, has some amazing outdoors to explore.

What is your favorite place to visit and why?D: This is a tricky question. I have visited a few places and they are all great for different reasons. Often a place itself is pretty magical, but the people in the area are particularly important for making it special. I like a number of places. Saying this though I went away for a trade show recently and when I came back home to Tasmania I felt very much at home. The place has some amazing wilderness and it was a great feeling to be back.

What do you like to do when you are with your friends?D: Rock climbing and adventures would be high on this list. Later this year I will be going on an adventure with 4 other people with disabilities. WE plan to ride from the lowest point in Australia Lake Eyre or Kati Thanda (-15 metres below sea level) to the highest point Mt Kosciuszko or Jagungal, (at 2228 metres above sea level. I will be riding on the back of a tandum recumbent tricycle with my friend Paul Pritchard on the front.