Lauren Goodman

Studio Lauren Goodman is a sculptural furniture studio using discarded objects and renewable materials to create dynamic collectible design. Goodman’s process begins by sourcing materials from regional waste streams and local suppliers. Through creative investigation into waste as a raw material and combining foraged objects with traditional materials and fabrication methods, she seeks to elevate discarded objects, transforming them into unique one of a kind works. Goodman’s work is more than traditional upcycling. She is actively working to add beautiful and functional solutions to the ongoing challenge of local waste.

As a kid, what did you answer when asked, “What do you want to be when you grow up?”
When my parents moved several years ago I sorted through various school projects my mom had saved since my childhood. One of the papers I found was a project I did in the first grade where we had to describe what we wanted to be when we grew up. I wrote, “je veux être artiste ou serveuse”. I was nearly doubled over. I found it so funny that a six year old wanted to be a server. Little did I know that one vocation often follows the other and that I would spend nearly ten years in the service industry while I built my design practice. Now that I have comfortably spent many years as both server and artist I can conclude that I was a very pragmatic six year old.

Who are the three designers you follow on Instagram?
Piet Hein Eek, Duyi Han and Formafantasma

What is your design philosophy?
The foundational idea that drives my practice is that we have too much stuff. A seemingly contradictory idea for someone who is in fact, making more stuff. But this ideology has guided me down the path of working with found object and waste. It has allowed me to see materials through a new lens. It has encouraged me to prioritize sustainability at every stage of my process and always pause and ask myself, does this thing really need to exist? It’s a simple question but it’s one that I think isn’t asked enough.

Was there a moment when you realized you wanted to be a designer? If so, what was it?
I don’t know if there was ever an ‘aha’ moment, it was more of a gradual shift from craftsperson to designer. I started out in the industry as a fine furniture fabricator. I thought being a really skilled woodworker alone would sustain my creative ego but it was really just the beginning of a longer, more holistic design journey that I am still trying to navigate today.

What is the most pressing issue in the design world today?
I think designers today face a variety of complex problems that will require multifaceted and adaptive responses. As we face environmental and social collapse, design at the intersection of anthropology, sociology and ecology is the most urgent discussion of our time. Adopting models that prioritizes the use of existing materials over those which are newly produced, can begin to respond to our ongoing challenge of excessive waste. This approach requires a radical shift from practices rooted in extraction towards a system that actively seeks liberation from exploitative and oppressive systems and reduces environmental harm.

What’s now?
I am expanding on my most recent collection, Fresh Catch, which launched at ICFF this past May. The collection is a series of functional sculptures made from salvaged lobster traps. I’m currently experimenting with incorporating secondary materials such as wood and glass and looking to feature some lighting in the next iteration of the collection.

What is your favorite director/movie? Or your favorite band/artist/song?
I’ve really enjoyed the films of Ruben Östlund. From Force Majeure to The Square to Triangle of Sadness, he does such a brilliant job of commenting on human nature. Each film examines societal ills through a specific socio-cultural lens and does so with bone dry humour. I love it.

More about Lauren Goodman, HERE