Ini's inspiration

Ini Archibong creates things that last – and his latest venture with the Pavilion of the African Diaspora may be his most ambitious legacy project yet

- AIDAN IMANOVA

“The architectural scale is my most natural scale – it’s where I started, and even when I’m making an object, I’m thinking about the space around it,” says American designer Ini Archibong. After dropping out of business school aged 20 (“I was going to be a banker”), Archibong went on to complete a degree in Environmental Design from the ArtCenter College of Design in Pasadena, California – where he grew up, raised by Nigerian parents. From there, Archibong moved to Singapore to work at an architectural firm, later relocating to Switzerland where he received a master’s degree in luxury design and craftsmanship from École cantonale d’art de Lausanne. Archibong has lived in Switzerland ever since, and currently resides in the small and picturesque city of Neuchâtel. Between all this, he even dabbled in music – he’s someone who is clearly unafraid to move between boundaries, both literally and symbolically. Perhaps this ease comes with the designer’s intuitive nature, which he pours into the work itself.

Since establishing his own practice, Design by INI, moving across scales has been a comfortable feat for Archibong, who is best known for his ethereal furnishings and objects that are likened to works of art, most of which are handcrafted – something the designer believes carries special value that is both tangible and intangible. Archibong has now expanded upon the comforts of scale, creating installations for galleries, including a permanent collection for the Dallas Museum. More shows are in the pipeline – including for New York’s Friedman Benda gallery as well as a chair for Knoll.