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James Irvine obituary James Irvine obituary
(6 months later)
My friend James Irvine, who has died of pneumonia aged 54, was an outstanding furniture and product designer. I first met him one chilly September morning in London, on my way to the Royal College of Art to study design for the first time. At the RCA, James designed a chair that was many years ahead of its time, a structure of narrow tubes that could be assembled like a camping bed with a tensioned canvas seat and back.My friend James Irvine, who has died of pneumonia aged 54, was an outstanding furniture and product designer. I first met him one chilly September morning in London, on my way to the Royal College of Art to study design for the first time. At the RCA, James designed a chair that was many years ahead of its time, a structure of narrow tubes that could be assembled like a camping bed with a tensioned canvas seat and back.
James was the son of the architect Alan Irvine and his first wife, Betty. He was born in London and educated at Frensham Heights, Farnham, Surrey, before going to the RCA. When James got a job with Olivetti and moved to Milan in 1984, he also opened up what became known to his friends as Pensione Irvine. On one occasion, when I was visiting, he had the impoverished editor of a London design magazine staying overnight. We forgot he was sleeping under the dining table while we carried on a lengthy discussion on the beauty of milk, until he politely reminded us he was trying to sleep.James was the son of the architect Alan Irvine and his first wife, Betty. He was born in London and educated at Frensham Heights, Farnham, Surrey, before going to the RCA. When James got a job with Olivetti and moved to Milan in 1984, he also opened up what became known to his friends as Pensione Irvine. On one occasion, when I was visiting, he had the impoverished editor of a London design magazine staying overnight. We forgot he was sleeping under the dining table while we carried on a lengthy discussion on the beauty of milk, until he politely reminded us he was trying to sleep.
It was typical of James that he got up cheerfully a few hours later and made his way to work on time. James was designing all kinds of things at Olivetti under Ettore Sottsass and Michele de Lucchi – not just furniture, but products too.It was typical of James that he got up cheerfully a few hours later and made his way to work on time. James was designing all kinds of things at Olivetti under Ettore Sottsass and Michele de Lucchi – not just furniture, but products too.
James then moved into a bigger apartment with a bathtub and opened his own studio next door. His office was a beautiful room, designed by the architectural firm BBPR, in which he sat at a vintage Olivetti desk, opposite a huge and professional drawing board with a foot pump to adjust its height. Our conversations on design continued on journeys up to Brianza where we were both designing for the furniture producer Cappellini.James then moved into a bigger apartment with a bathtub and opened his own studio next door. His office was a beautiful room, designed by the architectural firm BBPR, in which he sat at a vintage Olivetti desk, opposite a huge and professional drawing board with a foot pump to adjust its height. Our conversations on design continued on journeys up to Brianza where we were both designing for the furniture producer Cappellini.
Life was James's great pleasure and speciality: he had the most generous nature imaginable and an equally generous list of restaurants printed out in micro-type on a single folded piece of paper and kept with him at all times, always pleased to arrange a dinner, a meeting, a project, a drink. He was firing on all cylinders to the end, and his recent work, for Muji, Arper, Marsotto and others, was his best. In 2004, James was elected Royal Designer for Industry (as his father had been in 1964).Life was James's great pleasure and speciality: he had the most generous nature imaginable and an equally generous list of restaurants printed out in micro-type on a single folded piece of paper and kept with him at all times, always pleased to arrange a dinner, a meeting, a project, a drink. He was firing on all cylinders to the end, and his recent work, for Muji, Arper, Marsotto and others, was his best. In 2004, James was elected Royal Designer for Industry (as his father had been in 1964).
James is survived by his, wife Marialaura, whom he married in Milan in 2005, and their two sons, Giacomo and Giorgio; his parents; and his stepmother, Kate, and half brothers, Tom and Will.James is survived by his, wife Marialaura, whom he married in Milan in 2005, and their two sons, Giacomo and Giorgio; his parents; and his stepmother, Kate, and half brothers, Tom and Will.
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