Living Among Art

“Our inspiration and our background is architecture, so the work itself is very much related to that,” Kutay says. “For [Hadid], it was a good way of experimenting and seeing her ideas transform into shapes and into physical elements.”

The ZHD portfolio encompasses 40 years of research and has pioneered innovation in lighting, furniture, décor, and finishes. Some of the most popular pieces include the Plex Vessels, Node Vessel, the Swirl Bowl, and the Cell Candleholders and Centerpiece, as well as the Field of Towers Chess Set. The collections often feature monochrome colors, which reflect the true colors of the materials used.

“It’s about the simplicity of using one material per product, yet having complexity in form,” Kutay says. “The idea is about not repeating or re-engineering something, but actually questioning what the item is, what purpose it serves and the materiality.”

Hadid also used painting as a medium to visually express her creative concepts and would create her own custom color palette. Many of the colorful pieces seen within the ZHD Collection are inspired by Hadid’s custom colors she’d use in her paintings. Kutay says they try to make the connection between the tones she’d use in the paintings and the new work in the collection. The collection’s materials include metal, crystal, and ceramics and the designers tend to stick to one material per product.

“At the beginning of the collection, we always laugh about the use of color because we sit in a room and we ask, ‘What color are we going to go with?’” Kutay says. “Then, of course, the colors that come out are the true color of the metal, which is black, gray, or white. We’re always very monochromatic with our choices, but felt with time that we needed to inject a little bit more into the collection than just the black and white that we started with. Color is important for us because it sets the mood of a space.”

Many of the pieces are inspired by an architectural approach; for example, how light moves within buildings and which materials are used. “Architecture influences the product design, but we also look at how the product design influences the architecture,” Yao says. “It’s a cycle. For example, Zaha always looked at movement through light and how light travels in a building. We look at how color and light travel from one object to another.”

“With spaces, it’s all about the experience,” Kutay says. “With the object, it’s the relationship between the body and the item. It’s how you interact with it and how it relates to you.” Kutay and Yao create work that is timeless and forgo seasonal launches in favor of building upon the existing collection. The duo gets inspiration from production and fabrication of each product and pushing boundaries of what is possible.

“Zaha was never a person who looked out for creativity, but actually looked in for creativity,” Kutay says. “She came in with her ideas rather than seeing what other people are doing and then getting inspiration to do something. She was a trendsetter in that way.”