Journal
Behind the Scenes: Designer Nikolai Sorensen Returns to Vietnam
In 2023, Città product designer Nikolai Sorensen made the bold move to Ho Chi Minh City with his young family. Immersing himself in the vibrant culture, he gained new inspiration and perspectives that naturally influenced his design process.
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Friends of Città: Courtney Adamo invites us into her family beach house
Our summer content series continues. This week, we get to know Courtney Adamo, an Australian-based mother of five, author, and content creator. Courtney welcomes us into her stunning mid-century-inspired family beach house, sharing her summer plans, tips for defining your decor style, and how to curate a home you truly love.
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At home with Città: Margot’s favourite designs
Happy International Women’s Day! At Città, we take pride in our team of more than 100 talented women, including our visionary female founder and CEO, Margot Acland. Margot started her career as a chartered accountant before deciding to follow her creative drive to make something of her own. After an inspiring trip to Italy in her early 30s, she founded a business importing and wholesaling hand-painted Italian ceramics. This venture laid the early foundations of Città, and over the past 35 years, we have evolved to become an esteemed New Zealand design brand. Margot welcomed us into her Auckland home and shared what she loves about her favourite Città and Vitra designs. Vitra Jean Prouvé Fauteuil de Salon Armchair I love the Jean Prouvé armchair for its perfect blend of beauty and practicality. They’re comfortable, easy to move around, and everyone who comes to visit us loves them. In our Città stores, we carry a curated selection of Vitra products and look forward to expanding this range. Our direct relationship with Vitra also allows us to order any products, including customisable furniture pieces like this. Fossil Vase Glass vases can get dirty easily, so we designed the Fossil vase as a ceramic solution. I love the subtle, irregular form and the intentionally narrow neck. It doesn’t require a big display—it makes a statement with just one or two garden stems. AB Table Lamp The AB lamp pairs artisan glass-blowing with sophisticated technology. The design is really technical and intricate in the way it connects. The dimmable LED light allows you to create the perfect ambience. Vitra Wooden Doll I find these really addictive. What began with just two in the bedroom has now expanded to eight scattered across the house! I’ve also given them as presents to both of my daughters on various occasions. The dolls were first designed in the 1950s and remain relevant today. Each one is meticulously hand-painted, and effortlessly complement any room they’re displayed in. Halo Ceramics The Halo ceramics have a beautiful form—modern, but slightly classical with its lip detail. I take joy in cooking simple food and plating it in bowls that I’ve collected over the years. I might serve a basic risotto alongside roasted carrots; and as everyone sits down, they exclaim how amazing the spread looks! It's incredible how the right bowls and dishes can elevate an dining experience. Cushion Covers For over 20 years now, we’ve been recognised for our cushion covers. Our textile designer, Imogen Tunnicliffe, has been with us for 19 of those years, and we’re just so lucky to have her. Imogen holds a master’s degree in fine arts, and was an exhibiting artist before joining Città. What sets us apart is our use of high-quality fabrics and Imogen’s unique designs. Because cushions are an integral part of our foundation, we’ve just got better and better at them. Remarkably, we still collaborate with the same manufacturers we partnered with two decades ago. Discover Margot’s favourite designs online and in Città stores. For product enquiries, including Vitra orders, please contact citta@cittadesign.com.
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Behind the scenes: designer Nikolai Sorensen shares his family’s Vietnam adventure
Over the past year, Città product designer Nikolai Sorensen has been based in Ho Chi Minh. He was joined by his young family as they navigated living, working, and homeschooling in the vibrant Vietnam city. Upon his return to New Zealand, we chatted to Nikolai about the experience. Hi Nikolai! We’d love to hear more about your family’s time in Vietnam. How did the opportunity arise? The opportunity was initiated by Margot [Città founder & CEO]. She had known for a while that I wanted to spend some time overseas with my family while our kids were still young. She had a conversation with one of our suppliers and it turned out he was looking for a part-time studio manager based in Vietnam. She put my name forward without me knowing. When I came into the office the next day, she asked “Have you ever thought about Vietnam?” I hadn’t, but we were up for it! You were joined by your wife Jo, seven-year-old son, Arie and five-year-old daughter, Pia. How did they find the experience? We were a bit nervous when heading over there, as it was a bit of an unknown. However, they all took it in their stride. There were certainly some adjustments—the heat being one of them. When we first arrived, the temperature was in the high 30s. Jo schooled the kids while we were over there, which was a bit of an adjustment, but it didn’t take us long to get into the rhythm of living in the bustling city. During your time, you worked alongside local craftspeople and manufacturers. What were the benefits of this collaborative process? Being close to suppliers and visiting factories was a huge advantage from a design perspective. The conversations you can have in person about materials, processes, and production are the equivalent of a thousand emails. Innovation comes from asking questions—questioning the norm and pushing manufacturers to try something different. It’s nearly impossible to do this from afar. Being based in Vietnam allowed me to have those conversations, go away, and then come back a week later to view the results. It was such an amazing opportunity when developing new concepts. Back home in New Zealand, you live in the laid-back coastal community of Muriwai. How did this differ from the bustling culture of Ho Chi Minh? We love what we have back home but experiencing a different culture and way of life was a big drawcard of us moving there. In Muriwai, we live on a farm close to the beach. In Vietnam, we were on the 25th floor of an apartment block in a city of 10 million people. It was the polar opposite of our New Zealand life. The area we lived in was expat-heavy and there was always something going on. We made some great friends who helped us adapt to the different ways of living. What did a typical day look like for your family? If we weren’t at school or work, then you’d most likely find us exploring the city on my ’72 Honda scooter. There was so much to see and do, and having a scooter to get around was a must. Usually, we’d head out to a market to grab some fresh fruit and veges, or head to a cafe for a Cafe Sua (iced coffee). Because it was so hot, there was a lot of pool time and luckily our building had three pools to choose from. At night, we’d head out with friends for dinner. Usually, we’d end up sitting on the side of the street on the iconic plastic yellow stools—this is where you find the best, most authentic food. Vietnam is praised for its diverse and distinctive cuisine. What were some memorable dishes or experiences? Food is such a huge part of Vietnamese culture. In the area we lived in, there must have been about a thousand different food options within a 5km radius—and it was all so good, fresh, and affordable. For lunch most days, I would grab a Báhn Mi (baguette) with roast pork, fresh veges, and herbs for $1.30. The other dishes we loved were Pho (soup), Báhn Xèo (Pancake), and Báhn Hòi (noodles). We’d head out each night and walk the streets until we found a new dish to try. Finally, what has been your favourite part of living abroad? There is a real energy to living in Ho Chi Minh and this helped my design work. The new experiences—new smells, sounds, and lifestyle—translated into new perspectives that were reflected in my designs. From a personal perspective, although we were in a fast-paced city, our life seemed to slow down. This meant we were able to spend a lot more time together as a family. Being able to balance work with travel was such an amazing opportunity.
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Q&A: Get to know our furniture & product designer David Moreland
We’re going behind the scenes at Città & introducing you to our talented team. This week, we chat with David Moreland about his role as our head of furniture and product design. David studied 3D Design at Unitec and developed his career in furniture design and production before joining Città in 2014. In our latest journal post, we speak to David about the designs he’s most proud of, the best part about what he does... and his love of all things music. Tell us about yourself and what you do. I’m the Head of Furniture & Product Design here at Città. We are a multi-disciplinary design studio that works on everything from tables, chairs and lighting to all types of accessories and homewares. Recently, we have also worked on a few of our store interiors, which has been fun. Our Commercial Bay fit-out features a wall of floating shelves paired with a customised version of a new sideboard range we have coming out, which we are really happy with. When did you first realise you wanted to pursue a career in design? I think I’ve always wanted to do this—I didn't have a lightbulb moment or make a conscious decision that it was going to be my career. I studied 3D Design at Unitec, which encompassed all aspects of design. I ended up making furniture for most of my assignments and have never looked back. Where do you get inspiration for your designs? Anywhere and everywhere really! Sometimes it can be the smallest spark from a completely random place. The longer I have been doing this, the harder it is to not consider the commercial aspects of any given project right from the start. I try to run before I can walk with any new design and embrace the mistakes, because often that’s where something unique can be found. Can you talk us through your creative process? How do the furniture and product collections come to life? I have hundreds of unrealised projects in drawing pads, so I regularly look back at these sketches to look for something we might not have run with earlier. I work collaboratively with Nikolai and we both have different strengths. One of mine is attention to detail, so I am heavily involved with the development of the construction and internal workings of any given piece. Often these aren’t necessarily noticed or even seen by the customer, but I like releasing a fully developed product where we have considered every aspect and achieved the best result possible. Do you have a design you’re most proud of? I’m really proud of the collaborations we have been releasing. There have been two nice lighting ranges with local designer Alex Buckman and the Liana sofa with Scott Fitzsimons. There is also the Acre dining chair coming out that we have been developing with Michael Young for more than four years—it will be amazing to finally set it free into the wild! I’m also proud of Nikolai’s work. He’s such a great designer and only going from strength to strength. I couldn’t ask for a better person to be designing with. What’s the best part about what you do at Città? The team I work with is amazing. It’s a great environment to be able to come into every day, which makes everything easier and fun. I also love that we get to turn designs into reality. Being able to realise (some) of the ideas that pop into your head is incredible—it’s a dream really. Which upcoming design or project are you most excited for? The aforementioned Acre chair project with Michael Young is an exciting one. The chair uses both 3D plywood and eco plastic, both of which are challenging materials to work with. It was certainly a process we learnt a lot from, but the product is both beautiful and durable and one that I am very happy to say that I have worked on. How do you enjoy spending time outside of Città? I love music, to the point where we have a turntable in the studio at work for the overflow of records from my personal collection. I also love going to watch live music. We have been a bit starved of this for the last year-and-a-half but that means I have seen a number of local acts perform, which has been great. I’ve got Tame Impala tickets for December, which I’m looking forward to—fingers crossed!
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Q&A: Get to know our head of textile design Imogen Tunnicliffe
We’re going behind the scenes at Città and introducing you to our talented team. This week, we chat with Imogen Tunnicliffe about her role as head of textile design. Imogen studied at Elam at Auckland University, majoring in print. In 2004, she joined Città part time starting with hand drawn illustration work. Today she’s head of textile design, working alongside Sophie Clapson to bring our textiles to life. In our latest journal post, we speak to Imogen about drawing inspiration for her work, get behind her creative process and discover her most-loved design piece at home. Tell us about yourself and what you do. I studied printmaking at art school, and having graduated, tried exhibiting here and there for a few years. In lots of ways I loved it, but financially it was challenging, and an opportunity came up at Città to do some part time illustration work. I started hand drawing everything, there wasn’t a computer in sight; the process was so manual. We even used to send our original artworks to suppliers to copy. Fairly quickly, the work load increased and over the years my role has evolved out of sight. Now, I head up the textile department at Città. I work alongside my colleague Sophie to design the majority of the textiles Città offers, as well as help with the general creative direction for the brand. When did you first realise you wanted to pursue a career in design? I didn’t set out to be a textile designer, I was pretty determined to be a practicing artist actually. I’m not sure where I would’ve ended up if the opportunity at Città hadn’t arisen, but I have always felt that it doesn’t matter too much what you end up specialising in, as long as it is fulfils you creatively. I’ve always been drawn to a diverse range of art forms, including design. I used to do quite a bit of illustration, and colour and pattern have always been important to me. I love objects too, and if I hadn’t done print, I would’ve studied sculpture - I guess all these things inevitably led me to design. Where do you get inspiration for your designs? Like most creative people, inspiration can come from absolutely anywhere. It can be as simple as a grouping of colours and textures you see somewhere, or more complex, like our recent designs which were inspired by the Colour Field art genre and theories around interaction of colour. Architecture has always been a big source of inspiration too. Textile design and architecture might seem pretty disparate disciplines, but often a genre, a feature, a house or space will be the starting point for designing a series of designs. It might not be the structure itself; but the details - the textures, geometry, forms, colours, materials and location can, and often do, all inform a direction. Other creative people are constantly inspiring as well, and it is a really important part of what we do; looking at other artists and designers, both current and from the past. Tell us a bit about your creative process. The creative process is the best bit. It’s where you can think most broadly about a project or a design, and not limit your ideas in any way. If you start a project with too much of a defined outcome in mind it can be stifling, letting your mind run at the beginning of the process is always how you end up with the most interesting results. I really enjoy the process of making, and am most comfortable when creating in an elementary, tactile sort of way. Recently we have been thinking about creating without thinking about the end result – experimenting, playing…and have been using collage as a means to experiment and explore ideas for our designs. How something is going to be made is as important as the design itself. One thing informs the other equally. The limitations, or the unexpected possibilities, can completely change the end result. Do you have a design you’re most proud of? The Cabin range of designs has been a really satisfying project to work on. We started the process with very few design parameters, but from the beginning we had a strong sense of the story we wanted to tell. We have reconfigured the design across several different items, each form requiring a slightly different approach technically, but it was important to us to retain a balance between the bold bright colour combinations and the structured check pattern. What’s the best part about what you do at Città? Most of what we design has a story behind it, and it’s the process of researching the story or the idea that I love. It means I am constantly learning about something or someone new, and broadening my horizons creatively. Parts of my role are still very hands on creatively. We are constantly knee deep in fabric swatches, design prototypes, colour palettes, paintings and drawings. It’s still very exciting to see your ideas turning into something tactile. Which upcoming design or project are you most excited for? In 2022 we are planning on designing some woven fabric to upholster the Daily armchair and sofa. The Daily chair is a modern take on a classic mid-century style armchair, and so we want to design a fabric that is sympathetic to this era, whilst also being relevant today. I love having a project like this to work on – the fabric (although potentially will be used on other items in the future) is specifically being designed for the Daily armchair, so our consideration will not only be about the fabric, but the marrying of the two items. We haven’t collaborated at this level across the two sides of the design department, and I’m excited that we will be producing an item that will be 100% designed by our design team. Tell us about one thing you love in your home and why? I do love my Japanese folding chairs. They were designed by Takeshi Nii in 1958 and are so beautifully balanced, in all ways, including the combination of materials. The legs are chromed metal, the arms long cylinders of dark wood, and the body of the chair is a heavy cream canvas. The belonged to Mum and Dad, and somehow over the years, they ended up at my house! Lucky me. How do you enjoy spending time outside of Città? I have a big garden (by Auckland standards), and I love being in it! Parts of it are pretty unruly - it’s one of those things that will never be perfect and never be finished, but that is kind of the joy of it. There are moments when I look at sections of it and think, “that’s perfect”, but then a few days later that moment is gone, and you have to re think the whole thing. It’s also incredibly satisfying getting vegetables and fruit, or picking a bunch of flowers from your own garden, and I can already see the kids loving the process too, and that makes me really happy.
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Q&A: Get to know our furniture & product designer Nikolai Sorensen
We’re going behind the scenes at Città and introducing you to our talented team. This week, we chat to Nikolai Sorensen about his role as an in-house furniture and product designer. Nikolai started his career as a process engineer before having his eyes opened to the world of Scandinavian design on a trip to Sweden and Denmark. He completed a Bachelor of Industrial Design at AUT in Auckland before joining Città in 2016. In our latest journal post, we speak with Nikolai about his design inspiration, creative process, and which upcoming products he’s most excited about. Tell us about yourself and what you do. I am one of the furniture and product designers here at Città. My role includes the conceptualisation, design and development of furniture and designed objects. When did you first realise you wanted to pursue a career in design? In my 20s, I worked as a process engineer for a Swedish company in New Zealand. I travelled to Sweden and Denmark for training where my eyes were opened to the world of Scandinavian design. I stayed in a hotel designed by Arne Jacobsen where he had designed everything—from the building itself right down to the furniture and cutlery. This is where my love for product design was realised and, since then, I have never looked back. Where do you get inspiration for your designs? Depending on what or how I’m designing, inspiration can come from so many different places. A lot of my inspiration comes from architecture and, in particular, New Zealand architecture. At Città, we are lucky enough to do a lot of our photoshoots in some amazing architecturally designed houses—just being in these spaces is very inspiring and often leads to new ideas. Can you talk us through your creative process? How do the furniture and product collections come to life? The start of my process is often very broad and varied. The goal is to come up with as many different ideas as possible. This ideation phase is my favourite part of the process. I love the freedom of having a general idea of where we are heading but with no real outcome in mind. Once I feel like I have exhausted all possible options, I start to condense the different ideas into one or two tangible solutions. Once we are happy with the final concept, we work with our amazing suppliers to bring our ideas to life. Sometimes this process can be as short as six months, but often it takes one to two years from concept through to production. Do you have a design you’re most proud of? I am really proud of where we ended up with the Daily armchair. It was a project we struggled to get right for a number of years. After many iterations, I think we ended up with a chair that is uniquely Città. I love the way it pays homage to traditional Scandinavian design, but in a clean and modern way. What’s the best part about what you do at Città? I love the breadth of briefs that I get to work on, which is very unique in our country and industry. One day I might be working on a new bed design, the next it might be salt and pepper grinders. The different scales, materials and forms keep it fresh and exciting. Which upcoming design or project are you most excited about? We have a lot of new products due in the next 12 months or so, including tables, dining chairs, shelving, and salt and pepper grinders—just to name a few. However, the one I am most looking forward to is a collaboration I have been working on with Michelle Halford (The Design Chaser). It’s been a long time coming (since 2019) but we aren’t too far away from launching it. Watch this space… What’s your most treasured piece of furniture in your own home and why? I have an old DON Furniture lounge suite that I just love. It’s such a classic piece of New Zealand design history. I’d love to think that in 50 years there will be someone enjoying our designs in the same way that I love my sofa and chairs. How do you enjoy spending time outside of Città? Hanging out with wife Jo and two kids Arie and Pia, is the best. We live on a farm surrounded by bush out at Muriwai. Living where we do allows us to spend lots of time outdoors in the bush, beach or forest. Last year we bought a bus to head out on missions around the country. It’s our little bach on wheels. We love the freedom to be able to park up wherever the surf is breaking and the sun is shining. Images of Radisson SAS Royal Hotel courtesy of Radisson Blu Scandinavia Hotel.
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Q&A: Get to know Città founder Margot Acland
Happy International Women’s Day! We’re celebrating the 106 women in the Città family, including our inspirational founder & CEO Margot Acland. Margot started her career as a chartered accountant before deciding to follow her creative drive to make something of her own. In 1989, Margot established what would later become the Città we know and love today. In our Q&A, we speak to Margot about this journey, advice for her former self and the best part about what she does. Tell us about yourself and your background. What are some defining aspects that have made you the person you are today. I grew up in the small forestry town of Murupara on the edge of Te Urewera National Park. It’s one of the most remote, mountainous and native bush-covered areas in the North Island. I went to a small rural school in the countryside before moving to Christchurch to complete a commerce degree at Canterbury University. As a child, I loved gardening, sewing and anything creative. My mother was artistic and my father practical. They were wonderful parents who filled my life with interest and excitement. We spent many weekends camping in a big tent in remote places, cooking on open fires, and swimming in rivers. I grew up loving the simple things in life, including good food—mostly homegrown—and the simple pleasures of a small town, rural lifestyle. These childhood experiences built the foundations of what is important to me today—values of simplicity, purpose and creativity. These pillars have inspired and provided direction throughout my life, both personally and professionally. Città has a history of more than 30 years. Can you share this journey with us? I started my career as a chartered accountant and did my training with what is now KPMG, before travelling overseas and working for public companies in Europe, the UK and New Zealand. I was misplaced in my career and, in 1989, decided to begin my own business in a more creative area. I began importing and wholesaling hand-painted Italian ceramics. I had lived in Italy and loved it—the Italian culture, lifestyle and aesthetic affected me greatly. In fact, it directly inspired our business. Città translates to ‘city’ in Italian and we began using this name for our products designed for city dwellers. In the early 1990s, we began working with a friend of mine who was an artist. We found we could elevate the products we were producing by applying patterns and designs. From here, we went on to employ young New Zealand designers and the design element of Città took shape. Today, we have an in-house team of furniture, object and textile designers working from our studio in Mt Eden, Auckland. We have 13 stores throughout New Zealand and employ 130 people. Our furniture and homewares can also be found at more than 500 stockists worldwide. As CEO and director, you’re very much involved in Città with the day-to-day operations. What’s the best part about what you do? I still feel very excited about going to work each day. We have such a stimulating environment in the office and I feel really privileged to be able to work with a group of young talented people. If you knew what you know now, what advice would you give your former self at the start of your career? It’s so important to be passionate about your chosen path. I was never a passionate accountant! How would you describe your interior style? Has it changed over the years? I would say it’s eclectic, and it has improved over the years. You are very much shaped by life experiences and I have been fortunate enough to have travelled widely and been exposed to many different interior styles. What’s your most treasured décor piece and why? I love the Jean Prouvé coffee table that sits in our living room. Its simplicity gives me a lot of pleasure.
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