Paddy Pike is a designer with a knack for blending the old with the new. With a background steeped in mechanical engineering and experience working alongside industry leaders, Pike has developed a distinctive style that merges traditional with modern. His latest collection, Arnardo, epitomises this approach, turning polished steel into almost moving, fluid forms.
hube: Your latest Arnardo collection merges futuristic forms with polished steel, inspired by Ron Arad’s design language. How did you adapt Arad’s influence to create something distinctly your own, particularly using modern technologies like AI and virtual reality?
Paddy Pike: I’ve always admired Ron’s work with polished sheet steel. I wanted to stay true to this raw material while pushing the boundaries by using virtual reality to create more dynamic and fluid shapes. By 3D modelling each piece, I could explore complex three-dimensional curves. Then, I used AI to realistically render these forms in polished steel, allowing me to visualise and refine the design in a way that felt distinctly my own.
h: You’ve used advanced tools like virtual reality in your design process. How does working in a digital realm before moving to physical production change the way you think about form and material?
PP: Virtual reality is a revolutionary tool that opens up new creative possibilities. It allows me to experiment with forms that break away from traditional constraints. While I still need to consider practical aspects of manufacturing, designing in this digital realm gives me the freedom to explore bold, unconventional ideas first, before refining them for production.
Arnardo Collection
Arnardo Collection