David Trubridge ‘HUI’ Tour in the USA

New Zealand based designer David Trubridge has announced his USA tour beginning this October. The designer is set to speak at events across eight cities, including showroom presentations, universities, as well as SXSW Eco and the WestEdge Design Fair. Trubridge will speak to the public about his design story, share insight into his work including new designs, as well as introduce his recently published book So Far, where attendees will receive a 25% discount. More information on where each event will take place can be found on Trubridge’s website.

Image © David Trubridge

Official press release of ‘Hui’ USA Tour

wakaNINE, the exclusive North American distributor for David Trubridge Design is proud to coordinate and promote the October 2014 visit of one of the world’s preeminent designers. David Trubridge’s visit includes a series of ”Huis” held at showrooms across the US and Mexico as well as a speaking appearance at the SXSW Eco conference (Austin, TX), a reception hosted by the New Zealand Consul General (Los Angeles, CA) and presentations at the University of Texas at Austin and the Iberoamericana University (Mexico City, MX). David will be showing his work including new designs at the WestEdge Design Fair (Santa Monica, CA).

A “Hui” is a New Zealand term for a social gathering or assembly, originating from the Māori language. David Trubridge and local lighting showrooms will host Hui’s across North America in October 2014. Designers, architects and interested public will gather, learn and share at these interactive events. These events are not formal lectern presentations; David will present and discuss his story, products and ideas and will interface with the audience in a relaxed environment.

David Trubridge is no stranger to the USA –he exhibits regularly at Wanted Design NYC, Dwell on Design and WestEdge Design Fair– and his products have been utilised by companies such as Veggie Grill, Neiman Marcus and Lulu Lemon, all of whom align with his ethos of nature-inspired, eco-friendly design. Recent large-scale installation projects include Westfield Valley Fair, the Amazon and Google corporate headquarters, as well as Barre3, Starbucks and Nordstrom. And the recent US television series Extant features his furniture and lighting de-signs in the home of Halle Berry’s character.

Trubridge’s recently published book So Far (Craig Potton Publishing, 2013), which chronicles his development as a designer, has already become a collector’s item. So Far is a thoughtful look at the progress and evolution of Trubridge’s personal and professional life and his passionate commitment to developing a business practice that is environmentally sustainable. Through an arrangement with the publisher, wakaNINE has secured copies of So Far in order to offer the book to Hui attendees at a 25% discount. David Trubridge will also be personally gifting 30 copies of So Far to students.

Image © David Trubridge

Smithsonian’s Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum, Trubridge answered the fundamental question of why he designs:

I believe that design needs to solve our technical problems in a sustainable way, but on its own this is not enough – it also needs to be beautiful so that we value and look after it. Design provides cultural nourishment, tells stories and reaches people emotionally and spiritually; thoughtful design is a vehicle for the enrichment we so badly lack in all the pragmatic and consumer stuff we are surrounded with. The other reason I design is to recreate that vital connection to nature that, living in insulated cities, we have lost so much.

– David Trubridge

Trubridge believes that design needs to solve our technical problems in a sustainable way, but on its own this is not enough; it also needs to be beautiful so that we value and look after it.

*All images and information courtesy of David Trubridge.