Incollect Magazine - Issue 13

Incollect Magazine 25 T here is something animated, energetic, even warming about Amir Habibabadi’s biomorphic and amorphous furniture forms, which are eminently functional, yet futuristic, sculptural, and artist-driven. Habibabadi is the creator behind Amorph, a boutique furniture brand and manufacturing company based in downtown Los Angeles. He is an architect by training and began making furniture prototypes in 2017, fresh out of SCI-Arc (Southern California Institute of Architecture in Los Angeles). “I loved architecture, but what excited me much more was creating unconventional, organic designs rather than following traditional styles,” he says. His years of academic study taught Habibabadi how to adapt computers and new industrial machinery for use in the design field. He started working with wood, which, he says, proved “perfectly suited” to creating the warm, organic forms he envisioned. He also experimented with casting pieces in bronze, but the process was expensive and time-consuming, and proved impractical for his highly customized workflow. His ambitious wooden forms quickly caught the attention of the design world. One of his earliest and most successful designs was the Gazelle wood chair, designed in 2017. “The idea was to create an elegant three-legged design that embodied the grace and beauty of a gazelle,” he says. “My focus was primarily on the back of the chair, as the front is often positioned against the table and isn’t as visible. From the outset, designers were constantly requesting these from me.” Habibabadi has also done well with his gravity-defying, single-legged, cantilevered consoles, of which there are several different versions. Most popular has been the “Frolic” console table, with a distinctive tree trunk-like base, offered in solid walnut or ash in a wide range of stains. The “Aras” Console is another best seller, combining flowing curves with minimalist lines. “When installed, it looks like it is floating on the wall,” he says. Engineering was required to make each of these designs functional. “One of the challenges I had working on the Frolic console was to keep it stable,” he says. “It was a structural issue, because it’s not easy to build a console that stands on one leg but is fully balanced.” The base is engineered to be balanced with no weight inside. “I did it on a computer, then used a 3-D printer to make a small version just to check that it would stand up.” Habibabadi says he is always thinking about how his designs can enhance interiors with unique and artful structures. “I want my pieces to stand out but also be functional.” He points to his Malva mirrors: “The frame here is not only holding the mirror inside a border, but it comes around and turns and invades the central space. Something cool happens as it turns, and that makes the experience of the mirror not only 2-dimensional but 3-dimensional on the wall.” Rooted in a deep passion for art and design, his work is fundamentally artistic — sculptural, expressive, and imaginative while embracing the utilitarian vision of an architect. Interior designers find this quality alluring and attractive. “Amir’s work is more than just furniture; it’s sculpture. From consoles to coffee tables to counter stools, every piece he has created for us transforms the room. I also appreciate the gorgeous wood stains and finishes he achieves, which is no easy feat. His pieces have brought such warmth and sophistication to our projects,” says designer Nicole Hirsch, based in Wellesley, Massachusetts. The Agate Console is a floating, wall-mounted design with hidden drawers for stashing secrets.