Our fifth Function and Form event was held mid November at the Lozi Work/Shop where owner and designer/maker Soroush Pourhashemi talked to us about his take on high end luxury plywood and how he came up with the idea of an entry level £9.99 collection.
But let me back up and tell you about this fascinating designer/maker who grew up in Tehran and discovered his love of plywood and Scandinavian design during his studies as an industrial designer. As a kid Soroush loved hanging out at his uncles’ carpentry workshop where he started experimenting with wood always trying to make something out of the offcuts – a recurring theme as you’ll find out.
His masters took him to London in 2007 and he was delighted to discover how (relatively) easily plywood was available in the UK. He set up his own workshop solely using this material and had a bit of an epiphany when he figured out how to bend plywood through pressure rather than steam. This allows him to bend larger pieces of plywood thus opening up new design solutions, making stronger furniture with more elegant and thinner curves and lines.
I was surprised to learn that Lozi often create their own plywood applying a veneer of hard(er) wood to add some luxury to their designs. This means the piece is more affordable than a design made of solid wood like walnut, maple or oak whilst not compromising on the design.
Lozi’s designs are simple and modern, almost Scandinavian looking and clearly inspired by Soroush’s favourite designer Finn Alvar Aalto. Curves are a trademark and show off the multiple layers of wood elegantly which Lozi take great care to finish to perfection. Lozi’s plywood is almost entirely top grade from sustainable forests all over Northern Europe ensuring the smooth, plug and notch-free appearance that makes their furniture so beautiful.
Most of Lozi’s projects are commercial or residential with anything from wardrobes, kitchens or whole shop outfits but in their commitment to zero waste they’ve come up with an ingenious idea to give customers an entry level product with their £9.99 collection. This collection consist of small pieces like coat hooks, key rings, coasters and such like that are made from the few inevitable offcuts they produce.
I’m currently somewhat obsessed with zero waste and sustainability so I was excited to learn that Soroush is also developing a sheet material from sawdust mixed with bio resin. The prototypes look like a micro terrazzo and I can’t wait to see what a kitchen worksurface or tiles will look like. Watch this space. I’ll make sure I’ll get my hands on a sample when it comes out next year.
We were all far too excited to go our separate ways after the event and had a good old catch up over lunch on Columbia road talking all things interior and discussing how the majority of us juggle freelance and home life. As with all Function and Form events the social aspect of physically getting together and building relationships in person is important to Tiff and me since we all spend far too much time behind our screens at home. Interaction as such is often reduced to emojis on the various social platforms which can’t be a good thing so gathering around a large table with a cup of coffee and having a chat (or moan) is a welcome distraction as well as an enrichment.
Lozi also rather kindly put together a list of their favourite local hangouts, small independent shops and brands and delicious lunch and coffee places you might otherwise walk past. I’ve listed them at the end of this post so if you’re in the Hackney Road area you can check them out for yourself and of course don’t forget to pop into Lozi and have a nose around.
If this has sparked your interest and you’d like to take part in the next Function and Form event drop us a line at hello@wearefunctionandform.com and you’ll be one of the first to know.
Check out these Hackney hangouts as recommended by Leila from Lozi:
SHOPPING | 5 mins walk
Henri
Our neighbours at 276 Hackney Road, Henri make beautiful minimal workwear from organic
cotton with a focus on ethical manufacturing. Their shop stocks their own collection and a
selection of brands that share their ethos.
276 Hackney Road, E2 7SJ
Grace and Thorn
A beautiful florist just down the road, Grace and Thorn stock an intriguing range of flowers and
some wonderfully whimsical vases.
338 Hackney Road, E2 7AX
Eastern Biological
A gift shop entirely focused on botanical objects and natural history, Eastern Biological is a
treasure trove of miscellaneous beautiful objects and fascinating books.
485 Hackney Road, E2 9ED
Conservatory Archives
A bit further down Hackney road you can delve into the incredible Conservatory Archives, or East
london’s urban jungle, crammed to the ceiling with a phenomenal range of magical plants and
enormous cacti.
493-495 Hackney Road, E2 9ED
SHOPPING | Columbia Road
Ben Day
Fine jeweller Ben Day’s opulent selection of stunning pieces is definitely worth a trip. Soroush got
his wedding rings made here.
160 Columbia Road, E2 7RJ
Charlie Borrow you can also find a post about him here
Master leather craftsman, making clean and elegant bags and luggage from a similar Work/Shop set up to Lozi.
116 Columbia Road, E2 7RG
Mosaic Del Sur
The beautiful tile experts have their enticing London showroom on Columbia road. Discover their
extensive range of graphic tiles crafted in Morocco.
106 Columbia Road, E2 7RG
SHOPPING | A Bit Further Afield
Ally Capellino
Timeless bags for men and women.
9 Calvert Avenue, E2 7JP
Wonderound
Beautiful minimalist clothing and gift store, a little further south from Lozi.
16C Calvert Avenue, E2 7JP
Broadway Market will be in full swing on a Saturday, so head over there for a great selection of
food and new designers market stalls as well as the established shops that line the street, full of
art books, ethical clothing and boutique designers.
House of Hackney, SCP and Goodhood Store are all around the corner if you walk down hackney
road towards Shoreditch High Street station, as well as the many design stores nestled down
Rivington Street and Curtain Road.
Redchurch Street, with designer clothing stores like APC, Sunspel and Folk, interiors store Labour
and Wait as well as a great selection of cafes and bars is just a bit further south, at the top end of
Brick Lane.
SNACK – COFFEE – CHEAP EATS
Lanark Coffee
Our favourite coffee shop in the area! Lozi used to share the workshop below with a metal worker
before moving to our current space. Great artisanal coffee and snacks.
262 Hackney Rd, London E2 7SJ
StingRay Globe
A Lozi lifesaver, Stingray has fed us more times than we care to admit and probably
singlehandedly saw us through setting the shop up last year. A delicious and well priced Italian, it
is just at the top Columbia road. A great option for a quick and simple lunch.
109 Columbia Road, E2 7RL
Hackney City Farm
Right opposite Lozi, Hackney City Farm is a mini heaven amongst a busy street. Their cafe serves
a lovely range of home-made food for under £10, and you can pop by and see the goats
afterwards!
1a Goldsmiths Row, E2 8QA
Premises cafe
The cafe serving the infamous Premises Recording studio. The walls are covered with endless
signed photographs of famous musicians who recorded albums there. Simple and easy food, a
mix of traditional cafe and Turkish.
209 Hackney Road, E2 8JL
Bun Bun Bun
Our favourite Vietnamese restaurant amongst the baffling array of choice on Kingsland road. We
highly recommend the Bún chả Hà Nội (Hanoi grilled lemongrass pork noodle salad)
134b Kingsland Road, E2 8DY
Campania and Jones
A charmingly ramshackle restaurant and coffee shop, just off Columbia Road, serving southern
Italian cooking made from local and seasonal ingredients.
23 Ezra Street, E2 7RH
LEISURELY MEALS AND DRINKING
The Marksman Pub
A modern take on gastropub dining, the Marksman is one of the finest places to eat in the area. It
serves a fantastic selection of beers and was the first Public House in London to be awarded the
Michelin Pub of the Year.
254 Hackney Road, London E2 7SJ
Laxeiro
At the top of Columbia road, Laxeiro serves a wide range of fantastic classes Spanish tapas in an
intimate setting.
93 Columbia Road, E2 7RG
Morito
A cool and modern restaurant, Morito draws influences from Southern Spain, North Africa and the
Eastern Mediterranean.
195 Hackney road, E2 8JL
Lucky and Joy
In our neighbourhood for a couple of months, pop up lucky and Joy serves up some phenomenal
Chinese food in the evenings.
184 Hackney Road, E2 7QL
MORE INFORMATION | Lozi
PHOTOGRAPHY | by Lozi with thanks
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