10 years of Design Time Travel with Lee Broom

British Designer Lee Broom has taken us time travelling through his journey as a designer by displaying his unique timeless pieces on a moving carousel.

"Because we’re displaying pieces from the past 10 years, I really wanted to show people the journey, like the life cycle, every single year from 2007 to 2017, all of my pieces and my journey as a designer." explained Lee Broom

The installation celebrating 10 years of anniversary of Lee Broom's Studio, located in Ventura Projects' new location at the Centrale Station in Milan during Milan Design Week 2017. With the old rustic background of the location in contrast with the new, pure white carousel in the center was the perfect marriage between the new - the old, the past, present and future while creating a dramatic out of the world experience.

"A carousel felt really appropriate, when I was a child I was really fascinated by carousels and fairgrounds.. and the space, it just felt right. " - Lee Broom

My interview with Lee Broom helped me get the insight behind the installation and the design journey that guided Lee Broom for the past 10 years to this day. His installation not only told a story about his past, but as well as an insight to what's about to come in the future. As our conversation continued, I was able to view the carousel in a different perspective, not only his design journey, but it also reflected his whimsical personality, his thoughts as well as his contemporary sleek style.

ANNE: Why did you chose to focus on designing lighting?

"I’ve always designed since I was a young child, I’ve done fashion and interiors and lighting was important to me because I guess I’m like a magpie, you know I’m attracted to shiny things and it’s almost like kind of jewellery in a space."

ANNE: Carousels are usually colorful, as well we noticed that your products are all white where it's original colors and materials have been stripped. Why is that?

"Well I wanted it to almost feel like that it was everything from ten years but almost like I just designed it. I wanted a clear clean pallet and to really be about the installation and the moment and not just about the product, and it gives them some newness as well. I didn’t like the idea of just presenting all the pieces that we’ve seen before, I wanted something new yet still pays homage to the last ten years as well."

ANNE: Each of your pieces seem to tell a story, are they all different chapters? or are they all a complete journey?

"Different chapters but they’re more related, it’s like a journey and it’s really me growing up as a designer, they’re all connected to me. But if you look at the beginning and the end it’s a very different story."

ANNE: Do you have a favorite piece?

"It’s really difficult to chose, I don’t know it changes in this particular display. I like the Tile ceramic lamps, really because of the way they’re displayed, they’re like the horses on the carousel, and they’re a very early design for me, so that’s back in 2008. So it’s nice to see them kind of given a new lease of life.

ANNE: some of your pieces remind me of a piece of jewellery, Is fashion by any chance behind the inspiration?

"Yes definitely, it’s really funny because sometimes when I’m sketching, while I’m sketching products and I want to have a bit of a break,I then might sketch something else and I sometimes design bits of jewellery which I have not released but maybe one day."

Lee Broom Designed the limited edition Carrara marble "Time Travelling Grandfather clock" to commemorate his 10 years of design journey. Only 10 pieces where made including one that will be exhibited in his store in New York.

"Because it's ten years, it's like looking back in time and looking forward, by first of all doing the clock and in addition when I created the carousel, together it's kind of like a time machine (as the carousel) looking back, it's moving and (the clock) it's mechanical. I've always wanted to design a grandfather clock for a long time."

Video below showing the movement of the carousel installation