5 minutes with Mike Bond, creative director of North Ltd

26 March 2017 - 02:00 By Roberta Thatcher
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Creative director and designer Mike Bond.
Creative director and designer Mike Bond.
Image: Supplied

From a contemporary rocking chair to a flat-pack coffee shop, design and branding agency North Ltd takes on all sorts of cool projects. Creative director Mike North tells us more

What does your agency do?

Our goal is to provide an environment that inspires individuals to produce their best work. We have a range of disciplines ranging from editorial design to film to furniture and prefer to think of ideas before materials. We're constantly looking to develop simple, smart and relevant design solutions for ourselves and our clients.

The story behind your company name?

North is a focal point. We like to think that whether you're a brand, an individual or an employee, we exist to help you find yours.

Describe your brand in three words.

Keep it simple.

You recently started making furniture. Which is your favourite piece and why?

The Roca Chair - it's a leather rocking chair that allows you to just sink in and drift off.

How do you work on each piece?

We start by asking a lot of questions as a group. This process is energetic and productive and leads to ideas we never expected. That's the easy part. The production side is all about collaboration and creating a network of trust. This allows us to focus on the design and the detail, the most important part of the process.

How are the materials significant?

We loved the simplicity of the original Roca sketch. Three or four lines creating an entire piece. We wanted to keep that simplicity so chose materials that allowed us to do that. They obviously needed to be comfortable and durable. We're hoping to spend a lot of time in there.

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What is different about your products?

We like to think that our design is rooted in purpose. It has a role to play in the consumer's life.

Trends you love?      

Open-source design and manufacture. We recently designed a flat-pack coffee shop.

One you wish would go away?      

A wise friend says "all good things come to a trend". There are very few good ones.

Visit northltd.co.za

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