Distinctive for his inquisitive eye and motivated to create responses to the needs of a modern lifestyle, Dror Benshetrit started Studio Dror in New York in 2002. The interdisciplinary practice specialises in innovative design projects, varying in scale and diverse in nature, and encompassing the fields of product design, architecture, interior design, graphic design and art direction.

Born in Israel and educated at the Design Academy Eindhoven, Benshetrit’s travels and multi-cultural experience have had a profound influence on his creative work. Exploring the nature of movement, space and forms, his work is rooted in a rigorous approach and a methodology of movement, with the aim to unleash the mutable and non-static nature of objects.

“I believe that design is always evolving. We live in a time that allows us to be extremely innovative due to the incredible technological advancements. Design is going to find form in more and more industries that may not have been as open to it in the past. We will consider sustainable materials, greener and smarter manufacturing processes, but we will simultaneously miss older techniques where we relied on the human eye and hand,” explains Benshetrit.

What’s more, Benshetrit:

• Regularly collaborates with experts to conduct research around materials, technology and geometry.
• Counts Alessi, Bentley, Levi’s, Puma, Bombay Sapphire, Cappellini, Swarovski and Target among his clients.
• Has designed an island based on a magic carpet in Abu Dhabi.
• Is the recipient of numerous awards, including the GE Plastics Competition, iF Product Design Award and the Good Design Award.
• Has work in the permanent collection of major museums in North America, Europe and the Middle East.

Dror Benshetrit will be speaking at the 2011 Design Indaba Conference from 23 to 25 February.