Christian Lo

Christian Lo, co-founded anony, a Toronto-based lighting design and manufacturing studio. With a strong focus on local manufacturing and technology, anony is committed to creating products with longevity at their core. Through thoughtful design and honest material choices, the studio produces work that reflects quality, inspires care, and is built to last.

(Image above: anony Studio, photo credit-Riley Snelling)

Where and what did you study? How did you get your studio started?
I studied Industrial Design at OCAD before working in the lighting industry. My experience inspired me to want to do things differently and my education allowed me to. Lighting’s a fascinating type of design because it’s both functional and sculptural. What you design ultimately has to light up the room, but be expressive in the dark.

When we started anony, we wanted to create a place where we could design & manufacture products that reflect what we believe in. The lights we create are thoroughly thought through, from the overall form down to the individual screw. In our designs, we hope people can see mindfulness in every little part of the whole.

How would you describe your design philosophy? Has it changed over time?
Simplicity, longevity, and iterative.
The philosophy hasn’t changed, but we’ve learned about each tenet and changed how we apply them.

Is there a particular craft tradition, designer, or material that deeply inspires you? How has it influenced your approach to furniture design?
At the moment my son, Cloud, is my biggest inspiration. The way he looks at things with delight surprises me. I now often look for delight in things I’d forgotten to appreciate. As for a designer, Zaha Hadid. She created her own design language and continually found new, brilliant ways to express ideas within it. She also designed objects, buildings and was even a painter.

Tell us about your workshop or studio: How does your environment influence your creative process and craftsmanship?
Our workshop is a studio, factory, warehouse and showroom, all at once. It reflects who we are as designers: minimal and organized. We painted our warehouse shelving to keep the colour palette concise.
A clean space is conducive to creative work. There are no distractions to steal our focus. I can also keep an eye on every aspect of production, from assembly to packaging, to identify troublesome parts or processes that couldn’t be predicted. Having an overview of every step helps improve each iteration of our designs.

What do you see as the biggest challenge today—whether in design, production, or sustainability? How should the industry respond?
The challenges of today are often about informing customers about the product. Especially with the rate at which products can be designed and produced, the form and finishes are so easily replicated and presented as “close enough.” If people knew the amount of thought, and adherence to principles, that was in each product, they would know how different they are.

What are you currently working on?
We are currently finishing up production of the Pola collection we released this year at ICFF. The Pola collection consists of a sconce, a floor lamp, a table lamp, a single pendant, and a multi-pendant.

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