13&9 design

In 2013, Martin Lesjak co-founded with designer Anastasija Lesjak the product design firm 13&9 in Graz, Austria. The team’s cooperation with specialist partners has led to creating product collections from concept through production in the spheres of lighting, furniture, floor coverings, fashion, accessories, exhibition, and sound design. The creative community is both a design studio for international companies – BuzziSpace, Mohawk Group, Quinze & Milan, Lande, Artifort, Wever & Ducré, Robert La Roche, XAL, and VITEO Outdoors – and its own label which produces and sells their own products. With its label, 13&9 is committed to produce products with small-scale and local manufacturers aiming to support creative growth in the immediate area and encourage responsible environmental practices.

The issues such as modularity, compatibility, flexibility and transformation are key in the development of new concepts in order to bring forth a variety of possible uses and foster the user’s creativity through individualized solutions. The overall results are unique designs that combine functional necessities and innovations with conceptual aesthetics, which also offer an emotional component, adding value to the product, “the soul.” Using a transdisciplinary approach, 13&9 has received numerous awards, been featured in many publications, and also exhibited their diverse works internationally.

GEOMETRIC COLLECTION DIAMOND SHADES

Beyond the mainstream, this eyewear is constructed with geometric precision strictly using converging lines, creating symmetry and optimizing the relationship between angles and edges. The work relies on the interplay between architecturally inspired forms, draft processes, and the human face, exploring the contrasts between masculinity and femininity through the points of the shape and the surface. The eyewear is designed with CAD programs and produced using modern CNC technology in complex manufacturing processes. The cellulose acetate frames are first cut and then undergo rough milling to create the contours and facets, followed by rough grinding to further define the frame. The final step, following sandblasting or grinding by hand, involves carefully hand polishing the frames, creating a distinct matte finish for men and special high-gloss look for women. Custom-made flat lenses are produced exclusively for this collection.

GEOMETRIC COLLECTION JEWELRY

Drawing upon influences from fashion and architecture, these pieces reference the precise geometry of the ellipse and the hexagon. The shapes of elements contrast soft lines with sharp edges that are both smooth and textured. The ellipse, with its unique curve, celebrates completion, while the hexagon represents complexity. Drafted in CAD programs, the collection relies on design principles used in architecture to create an interplay between surfaces and angles, resulting in subtle formations like rings, bracelets, earrings, and necklaces. With optimized proportions, the pieces persist in different contexts, accessories, and sculptures, through autonomy in form and material language. The items are made from the architectural material, Corian®, which has rarely been used to make jewelry. The mineral sheets are first cut with a CNC machine and then undergo rough milling to create the contours and facets, followed by rough grinding to further define the forms. The final step is carefully hand-sanding, which creates the distinct matte finish and an individual stone surface of the jewelry.

more. www.13and9design.com