Matt Atchison
Creative lead,
Saffron Brand Consultants
Can you pinpoint the thought, whether yours or someone else’s that led you to a career in design?
I can’t remember one single moment that marked the beginning of my career in design. I spent most of my childhood making things with my dad – drawing, painting, carving wood and generally learning how to use my hands to make things, so I guess that would have been the first step on that journey. The next would have been discovering art and design at Leamington School of Art. Morris Wood, the course leader, was a great inspiration for creative and critical thinking.
In terms of the design and architecture industry, what do you consider the most radical era or pivotal moment?
If you wanted to be nostalgic you might look at modernism or other movements that shaped the way we work today, but I think the most pivotal moment is right now. We’re facing unprecedented environmental challenges, and economies will have to radically change or adapt to survive. If you mix into that the developments made in AI and the immediacy of the technology in our hands, we really are at a crossroads where design, creativity and our industry will have to respond. It feels like we’re entering unchartered territory in many ways, so you could say we’re living in a pivotal moment.
Which radical thinkers have been inspirations to you in your career?
There is always an endless stream of great design thinkers that come into your conciseness over the years: Dieter Rams, Castiglioni, even Piet Oudolf – the list is endless. One that perhaps comes to mind from my early years as a design student is David Carson of Ray Gun magazine fame. Just at a time that you begin to understand the rules of design, methodology, rigour and coherence, suddenly you discover a guy who’s just torn up the rulebook and changed the criterion for layout and editorial design. It’s not that he influenced my style of design, but that he inspired the idea that you can break all the rules if the design makes a meaningful impact on its audience.
Who are the radical thinkers that inspire you now? (Not necessarily forever or for a lifetime – just now!)
Right now, I’ve been really taken with the work of Kate Tabor, an amazing costume designer who’s worked on some mind-blowing designs for musicians like the Chemical Brothers. I’m also lucky enough to be surrounded by great thinkers. From my first day in Saffron, I was introduced to an inspiring and worldly group of people. I never cease to be inspired by what they do and the ideas they bring to the studio. There’s nothing like being surrounded by talented creative people to discuss and debate, spark ideas and validate.
Who outside the industry can architects and designers learn from?
Anyone who is close to nature – scientists, naturalists, investigators, ecologists. These are the people who are drawing attention to what is really happening to the world we live in. Our modern history is full of stories about how we dominated nature and the world around us. I’m sure the next chapter will be about how cleverly we can work with resources in a sustainable way. And design will be at the forefront of that.
What will lead the way for more radical thinking in your/our field?
AI will surely make a massive impact on the way design is developed and used to shape our work. We’re already using AI as a tool in our day-to-day work but this is just the tip of the iceberg.
Could you recommend a book/article/blog that inspired your thinking?
Way back when I started studying design, my brother introduced me to Victor Papanek. Design for the Real World was a book that had quite a profound effect on me and the way I saw this role as a designer, so I think it’s a good one for any young aspiring designer to read.
Could you name two buildings/pieces of furniture that you consider radical designs of their time, or perhaps still to this day?
The first one was the House of the Vettii in Pompeii. I’m not sure it was the most radical of its time but the incredible architecture, craftsmanship, materials and detailing that are still intact 2,000 years later is humbling. Staying with the ancient Italian theme, I was recently at the Pantheon in Rome and the concrete dome is still the only one of its kind.
I think best with… (e.g. my hands/a pencil/ with a computer)
With my hands. All the senses are activated, problem-solving at its best. Nowadays we generally don’t spend enough time working with raw materials and understanding the physical behaviours of things.
I think best… (e.g. first thing in the morning/ last thing at night)
Definitely in the morning, it’s the moment when everything is possible.
I think best when… (e.g. in a gallery/at home/outside/over drinks/with friends/ on the bus)
I think best when I have a challenge and a deadline. Adrenaline usually sharpens the thinking.
The thought that keeps me up at night is…
How the hell am I going to do that tomorrow?
The thought that gets me out of bed each day is…
…it’s already tomorrow!
Do you like to think with, or think against?
With, but also against. Not in a belligerent way – just to test the possibilities, provoke and turn things on their head.
If you weren’t a designer/architect, where do you think your way of thinking would have led you?
I would probably be an artisan of some sort, making things.
Could you describe radical thinking in three words?
Understand. Experiment. Challenge
What’s the most radical thing you’ve come across today or this week?
Today I watched a video of Leenalchi, a Korean band I saw at a festival a couple of years ago. They mix traditional lyrics with contemporary sounds, and the result is pretty radical.
