Chris Hardy is an Atlanta-based American designer recognized for his methodical, rigorous and human-centric approach to design. From concept to creation, he applies contemporary principles to develop elegant and functional solutions that evoke a considered sensibility. Hardy’s work has been exhibited at Salone del Mobile in Milan, Frankfurt Light + Building, Neocon in Chicago, Wanted Design during New York Design Week, and Montreal’s SIDIM. From Milan to Montreal, Chris Hardy’s designs have left an indelible mark on the world of modern design. See his story in this Maker Monday feature.
Andrew Joseph: Can you describe a project that you’re particularly proud of?
Chris Hardy: My new brand ARCHIVISM, because it’s the first time I’ve had creative control and the ability to create a full vision that marries brand and product. Having been a freelance designer for so long, I have never had that opportunity before; it’s always been segmented. It’s so exciting to be working at a different scale.
Pyrn Side Table
AJ: What is your favorite place to find inspiration?
CH: I love searching for inspiration in old design, art, and architecture books. I’m on a perpetual hunt to find unexpected or unknown references that can inform the direction of my design process. I feel like, for a long time, industrial designers have overlooked anything before the modern movement, but there’s such an opportunity to expand deeper into the past to influence contemporary products.
AJ: How do you incorporate sustainability into your designs?
CH: It’s a two-fold approach focusing on design and manufacturing. In the design process, I work to create products that can be made efficiently with considerations as to the materiality and waste. In sourcing factories, it’s important to find those that are making the right ethical decisions that range from how they source material, to the type of finishes they use on products.
Elmyr Dining Table
AJ: What is your favorite type of furniture to design?
CH: It’s less about category and more about how cleanly a design comes to life; I love to create furniture that has an efficient design and manufacturing process without a lot of complication.
AJ: What is your favorite design era and why?
CH: At the moment, I’m mostly interested in early 20th-century French design. American design education largely seems to start with Eames, and yet there are so many interesting, niche pockets of creativity across history and cultures, at times when people were more isolated and had their own distinct identities expressed through their artifacts.
Edda Credenza
AJ: If you weren’t a designer, what would you be and why?
CH: Something simple and peaceful — maybe I’d own a neighborhood book and coffee shop with a sign that says, “Coffee and Books that Smell Like Coffee.”
AJ: Style (or design) icon and why?
CH: Jean Prouvé is my favorite designer for his ability to elevate industrial manufacturing techniques into the most incredibly chic aesthetics in his furniture and architecture. He can turn industrial motifs into decoration in a way that no other designer has ever done.
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