Beneath The Layer

Innovative and inspirational, Benjamin Hubert proposes going beyond superficial beauty to find the deeper purpose of design.

- Kissa Castaneda

Benjamin Hubert isn’t out there to create the next nice thing. The founder of London-based Layer Design, whose clients include multinational companies such as Bauer, Samsung and BMW, explains that the firm’s collective focus is “problem-solving and adding value, not just in terms of shape or colour”. Thus, it actively seeks out projects that require analytical thinking over aesthetically driven exercises. It has ventured into the world of furniture with the same vigour. From exploring digital knit as a form of upholstery with Moroso to playing around with modularity with Fritz Hansen, Hubert talks about adding depth, as well as increasing functionality and systematic smartness in a world dominated by the veneer of style.

How did you stumble into the world of furniture-making?