Updated Collection by Resident Studio.

New Zealand design company Resident follows the ‘think local, act global’ approach to production in a series of beautifully refined and crafted objects.

Managing director Scott Bridgens and his business partner Simon James have charged themselves with taking New Zealand design to the world. After living in London and working with Tom Dixon, Scott became familiar with the European market and was inspired by what he saw happening overseas. When he moved back to New Zealand to start a family, he felt that the “time was right for a New Zealand design company to express itself on the international stage.”

Soon after, the stars aligned and Scott met Simon, a fellow kiwi furniture designer who had run his own studio in Auckland for eight years. The future partners found they had complementary skills – Scott in logistics and supply chain management, and Simon in design and creative direction – but a united vision. All this happened in early 2011 and by September that year, after months of brainstorming and modelling, the brand was launched and several designers had been brought on board.

An exploration into materiality is also important to Resident’s design ethos; its collection to date includes pieces made from raw materials, ceramics, wood, glass and brass. One of the reasons it has been able to release such a diverse range is that it has kept manufacturing local – by working with factories down the road, it can produce smaller quantities and design more products.

[Images courtesy of Resident.]