Thursday, September 20th, 7:00 – 9:30pm
Interior Design : Furniture Design
In the Duncan Anderson Design Department Gallery at California State University, Long Beach
Brian Graham speaks on the role of the interior designer in the design and development of furniture for the modern work place. He discusses his background, his sources of inspiration, his heroes and mentors, and the importance of sketching, drawing and communication in the design practice. All of these are then interwoven with visuals of the process involved in his work.
A native of Southern California, Brian Graham cites the Los Angeles modernist tradition and 20th century masters Richard Neutra and Charles Eames as key influences. Like those icons of American architecture and design, Graham is an advocate of the idea that design is about making people’s lives better. Smart interpretations of modern principles – simplicity, practicality, function – give his work a classic, timeless quality.
Everything is designed, notes Brian Graham who, conversely, designs almost everything. Perhaps best known for elegant casegoods and office furniture systems, Graham is involved in a wide range of genres, consulting across disciplines and crafting integrated design programs for his clients.
Graham received a BFA in Interior Architectural Design at California State University, Long Beach, where he also served as an Adjunct Professor. In 1999, he established the Graham Design studio in San Francisco, to offer a strategic approach to the design, development and marketing of furniture, lighting and related products for the contract market. Today, Graham is widely respected for his work with industry leaders, including Knoll, Geiger, Halcon and Decca.
With deep roots in architecture and interior design, Graham has developed successful sales environments for companies as diverse as Apple Computers, Collins & Aikman, Mottura and Martin Brattrud. Beyond products and exhibits, Graham’s broad design literacy allows him to orchestrate programs as he did for Decca, advising on the company’s overall creative path, as well as contributing product and showroom design.
IDSA-LA 