Laurie Wiid van Heerden established his studio, Wiid Design, in Cape Town in 2013. Often working collaboratively with other artists and across a wide variety of materials, Laurie’s product range spans furniture, lighting, tableware and collectible objects that combine specialist manufacturing with handcrafting.
The studio has become well-known for its innovative use of cork in high-end product design, architecture and large-scale production manufacturing. Recognized as an African “ambassador” for cork by Portuguese producer Amorim, Laurie has pushed the boundaries of the material to achieve a number of world “firsts” – including the world’s largest cork pendant light and cork cabinet, both of which have been exhibited by Southern Guild.
Laurie Wiid’s work comes from a conceptual and artistic environment, an angle on various topics of contemporary culture, with a focus on traditional handcrafting in combination with avant-garde techniques. By combining handcrafting and specialist techniques, Wiid transforms materials into life-enriching and durable objet d’art.
