The annual AZ Awards, presented by leading contemporary design magazine Azure, have honoured Moss and Lam’s W1 Tables with both the People’s and Jury’s Choice accolades in the Best Furniture Design category. The W1 Tables stood out from 826 submissions from 52 countries to be among the 18 winners. Azure announced the awards on June 17 at a gala in Toronto.

The W1 Tables revel in the past while looking to the future. Named Dover Street, Dean Street and Mount Street, the three, complimentary pieces evoke a walk along some of the most elegant stretches of London’s central, W1 district. Stately Georgian townhouses contrast slick new inserts, making for a vibrant backdrop to a bustling, modern street life.

Following suit, the W1’s sculptural, expressive forms belie a thoughtful versatility and practicality. The pieces can be used in a variety of spaces — bedrooms, living rooms, entryways — and look equally comfortable beside an antique armchair or a minimal, modern sofa.

The materiality establishes the duality of old and new. Each one is hand cast using scagliola, a method of mixing cementitious plasters and pigments to create a marbleized surface. The centuries old technique was once considered a poor man’s alternative to the precious stone, yet over time, the technical artistry became valued by discerning collectors. The almost alchemic transformation of simple substances – water, glue, pigment and plaster — results in a striking surface, especially when applied to W1’s contemporary shapes. In that way, the juxtaposition suggests that true craftsmanship is ultimately timeless.

Upon receiving the award, Moss and Lam’s principal, Deborah Moss, reflected: “This is truly an honour. With the W1 tables, I wanted to infuse a sense of beauty, wonder and delight into an everyday element. Scagliola is instrumental to this. The technique is like alchemy. It requires only basic materials, but makes them extraordinary. It’s a bit like magic.”

About Moss and Lam

Moss and Lam art studio was established in 1987 by Deborah Moss and her partner Edward Lam. As the lines between art and design are increasingly blurred, Moss and Lam can be considered artistic problem solvers. They create art and objects that appeal to our instinctual yen for things that are imaginative, whimsical and authentic.

Since its inception Moss and Lam have worked autonomously and collaboratively with some of the world’s finest designers to create art installations, furniture and accessories for both international luxury brands in the hotel and restaurant industries as well as private residences. Their work seamlessly merges digital and hand-crafted techniques. It draws on mythical and personal narratives, while prompting contemporary visions. Hovering between many conventions, their work delights and enhances our experiences with visual poetry.