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Plyco Teams with Hecker Guthrie, Winner of the 2018 Riggs Design Prize

Plyco works with all sorts of people. Whether it be carpenters, builders, laser cutters, DIY warriors, and everything in between, we’ve pretty much seen it all. However, it’s not every day that you get the opportunity to provide plywood sheets to the winner of a $30,000 prize for design. That’s exactly what happened when Paul Hecker and Hamish Guthrie teamed up with the crew here at Plyco for their entry into the 2018 Rigg Design Prize.

All images taken by Shannon McGrath.

What is the Rigg Design Prize?

Hecker Guthrie, image from Shannon McGrath

Paul Hecker and Hamish Guthrie (Hecker Guthrie) were the winners of the 2018 Rigg Design Prize

The Rigg Design Prize is a triennial exhibition that has been held by the National Gallery of Victoria since all the way back in 1994. It is a celebration of interior design and decoration, bringing together 10 of the most elite interior designers together to both compete and promote incredible home design. Each time the Rigg Design Prize is held there is a theme, and this year's theme was titled “Domestic Living”. NGV curator, Simone LeAmon, came up with this theme to emphasise interior design isn’t just an elitist term for the most upper of the upper class – it can be accessible to all sorts of backgrounds, attitudes and ways of life. Designers were also asked to consider how interior design can serve as a unique and distinct form of communication.

Each entry into the Rigg Design Prize received a 40 square metre are to bring their ideas to life inside of the National Gallery of Victoria, and are open to being visited by the public to see the intricate designs up close and personal.

Hecker Guthrie, image from Shannon McGrath

A plethora of Plyco Plywood tables!

Re-Shaping the Way You Think About Tables With Plyco’s Plywood

Paul Hecker and Hamish Guthrie centred their design idea around on thing; the table. While simple in concept, the final design is anything but! Hecker and Guthrie played around with this idea by manipulating the scale, size and height of the tables used, while also flipping them and placing them in a multitude of ways across the room. By doing this they were able to create a bunch of new uses and applications for what is usually thought of as a simple table. They aimed to force viewers of their design space to think about their relationship with and the aesthetic qualities of the table.

"In its lowest form, the table becomes a platform. Raise it up and it becomes different things: a chair, a table, a bench. At its highest form, it becomes a structure and enclosure, something to provide protection. It's interesting that this one prosaic form could create the entire spatial experience." Hecker said.

Hecker Guthrie, image from Shannon McGrath

Hecker Guthrie's Plywood designs are thing of beauty up close

Rigg Design Prize judge and CEO of the International Federation of Interior Architects and Designers, Shashi Caan believed that Hecker Guthrie’s creative and expressive use of tables throughout their display was a perfect demonstration of “the power of design restraint and curiosity at play.”

According to Hecker and Guthrie, this space celebrates the table as a modest yet powerful piece of furniture, often bringing people closer as they sit around it.

Don't Miss Out on Plyco's Plywood in Person!

You can view Hecker and Guthrie’s design featuring Plyco’s Plywood at the Ian Potter Centre, as well as the other 9 contestant’s works until February 24, 2019. You can also check out Plyco's entire Plywood lineup by going over to our online store, or alternatively, you can see it in person by paying our Fairfield Showroom a visit! 

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