Former McLaren Designers Bring Supercar Thinking to Furniture

João Dias and Patrick Carton, former designers at McLaren Automotive, have transitioned from high-speed vehicle design to furniture creation with their new piece, the Ennua Element 01. Previously, they worked on supercars like the W1 hypercar and Speedtail, focusing on proportion, aerodynamics, and engineering.

The Element 01 is described by Dias and Carton as a work of functional art, featuring sweeping lines and a carbon fiber structure that reflects its automotive origins. “The most direct carryover is how we treat proportion,” they told Design Milk. “Every line has to justify itself; nothing is added for decoration alone.”

Made entirely in the UK, the piece utilizes a carbon fiber frame similar to a supercar’s monocoque, with Bridge of Weir leather layered over BioPRO foam. Launched in mid-June, the Element 01 is limited to 199 individually numbered pieces, starting at approximately $145,000, and can be customized for each buyer.

Element 01 is the first piece in the “Element by Ennua” series, with future designs expected to maintain the same aesthetic and attention to detail. The founders stated, “Each new Element has to earn its place; if we can’t make a genuine case for why it needs to exist, we won’t build it.” Learn more at ennua.com.

Source: design-milk.com