People / Eleanor Murphy
Eleanor Murphy is an emerging British designer and maker based in London. She grew up in Rochdale, Northwest Manchester, and then moved to study at Kingston School of Art on the Product and Furniture Design course, graduating in 2022. Eleanor’s work is driven through material exploration and process-led experimentation. She has a passion and enthusiasm for construction and creativity taking influence from her environment. She often researches into industrial processes and then applies these principles to her furniture or objects. Her work has been included in exhibitions at Somerset House, The Garrison Chapel and SCP.
Swaged Shelving & Candle Holders
My fascination into the process of swaging began after a visit to a bespoke exhaust manufacturing garage local to Rochdale. The garage was kitted out with a range of incredible machinery and dies to create custom exhausts. After the visit, I spent time researching the process of swaging and UK manufactures who use it, however with limited funds I couldn’t afford to pay manufactures to experiment when I wasn’t sure of the outcome.
As an alternative, I took the same principles from the manufacturers, and using dies made on the lathe and a hydraulic press, I could start to test and manipulate the tubing at workshop scale. Using my unconventional set up I quickly found the limits to what the material could withstand and how it behaved without the proper machinery and supports. These limitations influenced the design of the shelving unit in form and scale.
A Seat at the Table: Chair 5
Otto Stool
with Clax + Coyle
‘Otto stool’ is a collaboration of crafts between knitwear collective Clax + Coyle and designer Eleanor Murphy. The stool is an exploration of materials, looking at physical and visual manipulation of knitted structures, anchored to the stool’s frame to create tension within the knit. Rethinking traditional upholstery, the stool combines metal with textiles; the stool has interchangeable upholstery which stretches and ties to the metal structure.
Beaded Crates
Aluminium with nickel plated binding screws
392 x 292 x 188mm
With a double birth design, these aluminium record crates hold two rows of 7″ records; or could be used to store any other bits and bobs you would like.
The panels of the crate have been passed through a bead-roller machine to form embossed lines, which adds structural integrity to the thin metal sheets. They are then screwed together and finished off with a hemmed rim.
Seam Bookend
with Esme MacGregor
Brushed aluminium
88 x 110 x 120mm
The process of seaming joins two metal sheets with a fold and pinch action. Often used to connect industrial roofing panels, the technique has been reapplied to form a strong and slender bookend.