Contemporary forms by unform studio enrich Pennsylvania's design landscape

"I simply love objects and the meaning they imbue on our lives through everyday physical interaction, sentimental value and the beauty of form," says Ryan Twardzik, founder of American design practice unform studio, which unveils its latest works comprising the Orbit furniture collection and an inaugural lighting design collection, Axis, as a part of a forward-looking design showcase. Presenting a fusion of 'retro-futuristic' and contemporary design aesthetics, unform studio reimagines warmth and comfort into tactile forms that promise to elevate everyday living experiences.

Twardzik founded the studio in 2022 in the Anthracite Region of Pennsylvania, United States, intending to contribute to the regional design industry by utilising local products and drawing from local heritage. Years of experience in multidisciplinary design informed the furniture and product designs that he began creating at the studio, imbuing 'a layer of joy and inspiration' into everyday tactile forms. While the design studio presented its inaugural Drip collection in Miami during Miami Design Week 2023, the Pop-Up and Spherae collections were launched at the Salone del Mobile.Milano 2024 in Milan, Italy.

The Drip collection embraces paint as a fundamental element of design, not merely a decorative afterthought. The bold, modern furniture designs—un4 side table, un5 chair design, un6 stool and un7—evoke a strong response, exploring "improvisation in furniture design" by allowing the randomness of dripping paint to inform the structure. "The Drip collection conveys the power of colour and the importance of physicality, but combines this with a playful sensibility," says Twardzik in the project's press release. Crafted from high-grade industrial aluminium, the sleek pieces are finished in glossy powder coat and act as vibrant sculptures adorning both indoor and outdoor spaces.

Unlike the Drip pieces, the Spherae and Pop-Up collections utilise upholstery for increased comfort and tactile experience. The un8 Spherae Stool features wooden furniture with brass details that form the foundation for upholstered spheres that act as seating cushions.

The Pop-Up collection utilises an expandable metal frame system to support the repetitive monolithic cylinders, collectively forming the pieces. The un9 lounge chair, un10 loveseat, un11 ottoman, un12 lounge and un13 sofa feature detachable cushions that allow users to customise the size and configuration of the pieces. These are extensions of the Pop-Up collection, which "play with more radical forms that remain ergonomic, usable and comfortable. Each piece is also made locally here in Pennsylvania, continuing my commitment to investing in high-end, local craft and showing how it can be utilised in new ways," says the American designer.

unform studio's latest designs, such as the un14 chair and the un15 table from the Orbit collection, were unveiled at the design exhibition A Different Kind of Future as a part of Salone del Mobile.Milano 2025. These series incorporate industrial elements of polished stainless steel with soft, subtle and organic forms of wood and rich upholstery. The striking blue colour against the polished metal and visually pleasing forms creates a strong visual presence. The table design comprises an American walnut wood tabletop and stainless steel legs, imbued with intricate joinery details that showcase precise craftsmanship, adding complexity to the seemingly simple forms. On the other hand, the form 2 floor lamp, form3 pendant light and form4 wall light from the Axis collection are crafted delicately from metal to highlight the beauty of simple forms.

In conversation with STIR, Twardzik delves deeper into his design methodology, opening up about everything from unform studio's creative ethos to its 'joyful forms' and upcoming experiments. Edited excerpts follow below:

Bansari Paghdar: Could you expand on your journey in design to date? What informs your creative ethos and what are some learnings?

Ryan Twardzik: My design background has wound up being pretty varied, with experience in apparel, footwear, product, graphic [design] and now, of course, furniture and lighting. To me, there is something just so alluring about having an idea of a form or an object in your head, then working through the process to see that it becomes a real-life object you can use and with which you can interact.

I had such a strong vision and strong feeling of these designs I wanted to create that I knew the only path forward for me was to go out and do it on my own, which is how I wound up with my practice, unform studio. Some of the biggest things I've learned are that the design world is pretty small and there isn't a book or a ready-made reference guide [on] how to navigate it as an independent studio. You have to make friends in the industry who are going through the same challenges—there have been so many designers who have given me the time of day and shared their experiences, answered my questions and that has helped me immensely.

Bansari: Tell us more about how interaction and tactility play a role in your approach to 'good design'. Could you cite a few examples from your recent works?

Ryan: I firmly believe that a marker of good design is its ability to spark a sense of joy or wonder or happiness when the user interacts with it. Great pieces have this ability to pull you and make you want to touch or use them– an object that a user doesn't just use passively, but intentionally. With my Pop-Up collection, where the cylindrical cushions slot onto a bright metal frame, there is a level of fun in the bold form that attracts the eye, but when showing people how the construction works, there is always a smile or a laugh and this desire in them to try it themselves. Even if you aren't taking the cushions off your Pop-Up sofa every time you sit on it, you know how it's made, and it's something that can still make you happy each time you sit down.

Bansari: What constitutes a 'joyful form' in your designs?

Ryan: To me, a joyful form is something that invites that level of use and interaction. [It] tends to be a more bold shape or colour, that matches its boldness with an inviting softness. For instance, the Orbit chair's most eye-catching feature is the mirror-polished stainless steel band that runs around it and holds the cushions. What is typically a more industrial or cold or sharp material has very large radii in the corners that line up with the extra rounded edges and corners of the upholstery. It's a piece that displays its high-end materials, yet keeps a level of form and shape that doesn't make it intimidating to approach and use.

Bansari: Could you elaborate on your remark: 'a successful design is the object in its totality, not the prioritisation of single style over substance'.

Ryan: I do believe a successful design is one that does not prioritise form over function, but also does not prize utility above all else. For so long, there has been this idea, especially in product and furniture design, that utility and beauty somehow stand at odds with each other. [While] a design's form may push boundaries or be bold, that does not mean it [should] function [any] less than something designed solely for utility. In my work, it's important to do both at the same time—design a piece that is bold, beautiful and forward-looking in form, while not compromising on the user experience. Take, for instance, the un12 Pop-Up lounge with its down back cushion—it has a striking form, unlike an ordinary armchair, but it is also a piece of usable design in a home setting.

Bansari: What are some materials you gravitate towards for your projects and why? And why is local manufacturing in Pennsylvania important to you?

Ryan: I design with whatever materials I know I can get manufactured. Lately, I have been exploring upholstery, especially with seating, which offers various options of textiles and colours. I have always loved stainless steel, and being able to explore that in the Orbit and Axis collections has been a dream. With the un15 Orbit table, I finally incorporated wood authentically into my pieces.

Manufacturing in Pennsylvania is important to me because it’s where I am from and where I live. Design is not just about products that exist in a vacuum, especially for furniture and more emotional objects you share your personal space with. The designer, of course, is part of that piece, but so are the people who build and craft that piece, as well as the place where they are crafted.

Bansari: What is NEXT for you?

Ryan: More design! I just came out with a new addition to the Pop-Up collection, the un16 Pop-Up daybed and I will continue to add pieces to it, exploring modular design. I also showed the first pieces in my Studio line, studio1 and studio2, which utilise the same stainless steel as the Axis collection, but are smaller design objects such as vases and water pitchers, which I intend to continue working on.