Max Lamb

Max Lamb is a British designer who was born in Cornwall in 1980 and became interested in design at a young age. He was raised by the countryside so nature was important to him. He attended Amersham & Wycombe College for art and design in 2000 where he received several awards.

Lamb works with a diverse range of materials including but not limited to stone, wood, metal, plastic, as well as “Marmoreal”, a terrazzo-like composite material that he himself invented. He is known for his innovative approach and use of natural materials within his designs.

Lamb often uses traditional techniques to achieve innovative contemporary solutions. His Urushi Series is a collection of seating, tables and cabinets finished with Urushi lacquer from Waijima, Japan. The structure of each piece is obtained by cleaving chestnut with green-woodworking techniques in order to preserve the natural appearance of the wood. Urushi lacquer is then applied following traditional Japanese methods. The designer’s extensive practice was epitomized in an exhibition entitled “Exercises in Seating” (2015) where he arranged in a circle 40 uniquely designed chairs that he made using various materials and techniques spanning the course of nearly ten years; the exhibition was held in Milan, Italy, during the city’s renowned design week.