logo
An Irish Designer Blends Materials and Cultures at World Expo

An Irish Designer Blends Materials and Cultures at World Expo

New York Times06-03-2025

This article is part of our Design special section about the reverence for handmade objects.
One of the first things visitors will encounter as they enter the east gate of the World Expo in Osaka, Japan, opening on April 13, is a 20-foot-high balletic, ring-shape sculpture poised outside the Ireland pavilion.
'It's quite a complex piece in some ways, but I was trying to create one simple gesture that would have this sense of harmony,' said its creator, Joseph Walsh, a 45-year-old Irish designer known for wood furnishings and sculptures with dynamic, serpentine shapes. At a 150-acre farm near Kinsale, on Ireland's southern coast, he oversees a multinational team of two dozen people at his Joseph Walsh Studio.
'Magnus Rinn,' as the sculpture is titled, is his first work to use bronze and his first designed for the outdoors. It was also the product of several years of research. Mr. Walsh engaged in extensive studies with the engineering firm Arup, as well as materials testing with university labs in Dublin and in Stuttgart, Germany. The challenge, he said, was creating a form with his signature lightness and movement that could withstand the weather and seismic conditions in Osaka.
'Japan was actually the most extreme environment we identified on the planet,' he said, noting the threat of earthquakes.
The result was a hybrid form in which a bronze lower portion serves as an anchor and laminated oak torques with a single twist above it. To make the wood more durable, Mr. Walsh and his team used a high-pressure autoclave chamber, a strategy inspired by a visit to the Italian studio of the automobile designer Horacio Pagani, who has used a similar technology for his carbon fiber hypercars. Increasing the atmospheric pressure 600 percent bonded the wood laminates, making them stronger and more weather resistant and producing a 'hyper-performing wood,' Mr. Walsh said.
Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and log into your Times account, or subscribe for all of The Times.
Thank you for your patience while we verify access.
Already a subscriber? Log in.
Want all of The Times? Subscribe.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

How finance can clean up Ireland's ageing fleet
How finance can clean up Ireland's ageing fleet

Yahoo

time17 minutes ago

  • Yahoo

How finance can clean up Ireland's ageing fleet

Ireland's vehicle fleet is getting older, and dirtier, at a time when cleaner transport is more urgent than ever. The CEO of Close Brothers Motor Finance Ireland argues that with the right finance tools and industry collaboration, Ireland can upgrade its roads without breaking the bank. As the world works collectively to meet the challenge of climate change, motorists too are doing their part. The International Energy Agency estimates that sales of newer, zero emissions vehicles exceeded 17 million in 2024, more than a fifth of global car sales. The picture isn't uniform however and some countries are doing better than others. While the average age of motor vehicles in Ireland compares well to EU averages, the average age of cars on Irish roads has increased from 5.8 years at the start of 2008, to 9.9 years now according to the Society of Irish Motor Industry . SIMI also estimates that nearly half the cars on Irish roads are 10 years old or more. We recently crunched the latest data from the Irish statistics office (the CSO) meanwhile and discovered that nearly 20% of Irish cars were registered in 2010 or before. There are any number of reasons for this. The boom years of the Celtic Tiger for example were a time of great prosperity in Ireland. Since then, incomes and spending power have been hit by factors ranging from Covid to the cost of living and, latterly, nervousness around American tariffs. And with inflation in Ireland having increased again in the spring, consumer sentiment remains muted. With consumers less willing to spend on newer vehicles, Ireland could find itself beginning to lag when it comes to the twin challenges of tackling climate change and improving air quality. Older vehicles are less efficient than newer models with the UN Environment Programme arguing that "ageing cars are bogging down the battle against climate change". Not only this, older cars also have more of an impact on air quality. Ireland's Environment Protection Agency warned only last year that Ireland might fall short of WHO air quality targets. So, Ireland's ageing vehicles are not only more prone to breakdown, but could be impacting health and the environment. With the Irish buying on average 2.5 used cars for every new car sold, it's vital that newer and more efficient second hand vehicles start replacing Ireland's older vehicles. This could have an immediate impact on safety and air quality and also help Ireland deliver on sustainability. The cost of living however continues to put pressure on household budgets, and car prices in Ireland remain stubbornly high. So upgrading Ireland's car isn't easy. As lenders, we can't alleviate the cost of living or apply cost controls to the car market. There are levers we can pull however, which can help Ireland upgrade its ageing fleet and clean up her roads. As an example, we recently launched an innovative PCP product that attaches a minimum future value to the vehicles we lend against. A recurring conversation I have with dealers in Ireland is about the risk of second-hand vehicle depreciation. At the end of a PCP contract a vehicle is often returned to the dealer. But what if since selling the vehicle an economic shock has impacted used car prices? This could leave a dealer out of pocket so dealers are disincentivised from offering PCP deals. This is despite widespread consumer demand due to the lower repayments PCP deals typically come with and therefore the greater range of newer - and crucially cleaner - vehicles they make available. A future minimum value guarantee on the vehicle makes things far more predictable for motor dealers, meaning offering PCP and upgrading Ireland's fleet is more achievable. Our product demonstrates what an innovative approach to motor finance can achieve when it comes to ensuring cleaner and safer roads. All of which means that Ireland can hopefully get a new set of wheels as we drive for greater sustainability in the used car market. "How finance can clean up Ireland's ageing fleet" was originally created and published by Motor Finance Online, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data

Stellantis launches redundancy plan at Turin plant
Stellantis launches redundancy plan at Turin plant

Yahoo

time7 hours ago

  • Yahoo

Stellantis launches redundancy plan at Turin plant

Stellantis has initiated a voluntary redundancy scheme at its Mirafiori plant in Turin, targeting 610 workers as part of a broader workforce adjustment strategy across its Italian operations. The scheme, which has been introduced at other facilities in Italy, is designed to facilitate early retirement and alternative career opportunities for employees, reported Reuters. According to a company spokesperson, the Mirafiori plant will maintain a stable workforce from August to gear up for the production of the new hybrid Fiat 500. The production of the new hybrid model is slated to commence in full swing by November. The voluntary redundancy plan is part of Stellantis' efforts to reduce its workforce by up to 1,600 staff across Italy this year. Workers at Mirafiori can enrol in the programme until the end of July. Luigi Paone from Uilm, one of the unions that consented to the voluntary redundancy plan with Stellantis, stated that the scheme would primarily target workers nearing retirement. The plan 'should serve to pave the way for the hiring of young workers as we approach the production start-up of the hybrid 500," Paone added. In the last two months, Stellantis reached agreements for similar redundancy packages at other assembly plants in Italy, including Melfi and Pomigliano, leading to a total workforce reduction of up to 1,660 workers. The company's staff count in Italy has decreased from 55,000 in early 2021, when Stellantis was formed from the merger of Fiat Chrysler and PSA, to fewer than 40,000. Reports suggest that Stellantis is also planning to implement up to 200 voluntary redundancies at its Termoli plant in central Italy. This decision aligns with the company's wider objective to rejuvenate its workforce in the country, as agreed upon with trade unions. "Stellantis launches redundancy plan at Turin plant" was originally created and published by Just Auto, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data

French luxury group Kering buys sun lens maker Lenti from Italy's Safilo
French luxury group Kering buys sun lens maker Lenti from Italy's Safilo

Yahoo

time8 hours ago

  • Yahoo

French luxury group Kering buys sun lens maker Lenti from Italy's Safilo

ROME (Reuters) -Kering Eyewear has agreed to buy Italian sunglass lens maker Lenti from Safilo, the unit of French luxury group Kering said on Tuesday, as it pushes for greater control of its supply chain. Headquartered in the northern city of Bergamo and with some 100 employees, Lenti specializes in moulding and surface treatments, including for sunglass lenses, visors and components for the lighting and automotive sectors. Neither Kering Eyewear nor Safilo, which also sent out a statement on the deal, disclosed financial details of the sale. Kering started its in-house eyewear division more than ten years ago, making glasses for its own labels such as Gucci, Saint Laurent and Balenciaga and other brands such as Cartier. Revenues at the division rose 2% in the first quarter, outperforming the group overall, which was dragged down by a 25% drop in sales at Gucci. Kering Eyewear said the deal is "another milestone" in its industrial development strategy. In April it signed an agreement to buy Visard and a minority stake in Mistral, two Italian manufacturers of sunglasses and optical frames. Last month Italian eyewear maker Safilo, which produces sunglasses for brands such as Tommy Hilfiger, said it had renewed its supply agreement with Kering Eyewear until 2029. Most of Safilo's production is based in China, while only 10% is from Italy, CEO Angelo Trocchia said in a conference call with analysts last month. Safilo sold a bigger plant in Italy in 2023. Sign in to access your portfolio

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store