Melbourne-based product design studio, Pen, creates unique products through a collaborative process. By working with a range of architects, designers and thinkers they take an idea from concept all the way to a global market. Whether for work, live or play, all the Made by Pen pieces are functional and beautiful.

Joining the Dog Room, which was designed in collaboration with Michael Ong of MODO in 2016, is three new products, each with a unique story to tell.

Wingnut by Stefan Bagnoli

Combining form and function without compromising either is a skill that comes to life in the Wingnut shelf by Stefan Bagnoli for Pen. The Melbourne-based architect has designed a modular storage system comprising anodised aluminium in a combination of glass, plywood or solid timber finishes. The unit can be easily configured depending on the space available, for example short or long, and it can be built to any height, adding a level of customisation for each space.

The key feature of the product is the custom aluminium wingnut that was developed between Bagnoli and Pen throughout the collaboration. The component is integral in bringing the system together without compromising on the industrial aesthetic and practicality of the product.

A range of materials can be used, including local timber species of Victorian ash, American oak or beech. When ordered in Australia, Hydrowood can also be chosen as a premium option. Hydrowood is a timber harvested from Tasmania’s Pieman River, where it has sat underwater for 25 years.

The shelves can be built in different sizes and with different finishes.

Oii by Nick Rennie

It was a desire to reimagine the overlooked items of the everyday that led to Pen’s collaboration with Melbourne-based designer Nick Rennie. That’s where the problem of needing a subtle home for the fire blanket became an obvious problem to solve. For a household necessity that needs to be accessed quickly in case of an emergency, it seems to spend a lot of time at the back of the closet, usually behind hard-to-move boxes. So Rennie and Pen decided to bring it into the open by giving it a dual-purpose facelift.

The Oii mirror with a fire blanket discretely hidden behind it.

Oii is essentially a circular wall-mounted mirror that cleverly houses a standard fire blanket, hiding it from view yet making it easy to access. The product’s name references its form – a capital O with two small i’s at its base – while also being a cheeky reference to the common Australian slang ‘oi’, used to hail and attract attention. Rennie has exercised his signature simple yet elegant style to create a statement item that works as well in an entry or foyer as it does in the kitchen and living areas. Oii features an anodised aluminium case and stainless steel mirror that can also be used as a whiteboard.

The fire blanket can be easily pulled down at the back.

Linea by Jim Hannon-Tan

Pen’s collaboration with Adelaide-based designer Jim Hannon-Tan has given rise to something they like to call ‘desktop architecture’. The initial inspiration was derived from architect Oscar Niemeyer’s National Congress building. Linea’s form is like a miniature streetscape when the number of different interchangeable components are brought together. Dishes cantilever, cups stand tall and the tray provides a solid foundation for Linea’s customised configurations and lengths. It’s a hard-working product that accommodates anything from pencils and paperclips to soaps and sponges, making it well suited to living areas, the study, kitchen or bathroom.

The ‘desk architecture’ of Linea can be reconfigured as needed.

Jim has a keen eye for colour and texture and it’s especially evident in Linea’s two distinct material palettes. The first evokes the high-end glamour of the Art Deco period with components made of copper, brass, aluminium, stainless steel and Carrara marble. While the second is a modern mix of anodised aluminium and silicone available in black, white, transparent and teal. Look out for the release of more colour ranges and components to expand Linea’s already impressive functionality.

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