Stephanie Forsythe + Todd McAllen became attracted to creating smaller objects that could be self-financed, from design to production, leaving them free to follow their intuition. one of Forsythe + MacAllen’s coveted pieces from their first studio in Vancouver is a glass teapot designed by the German industrial designer Wilhelm Wagenfeld. Made from transparent, heat-resistant glass, it emphasizes the colour and infusion of the tea.
in 2000, Forsythe + MacAllen began seeking ways to enhance the experience of daily routines by creating objects that emphasize the pleasure and delight of everyday moments. As part of this theme, they started to work on the idea of al lea set being a place of gathering – a hearth for the table.
Wilhelm Wagenfeld Teapot circa 1932. MoMA copyright details: moma.org/collection/works/2787
having the Wagenfeld teapot in mind, Stephanie and Todd wanted to push the technique of glass labware lamp-working further and remove the typical teapot references, including handle and spout, so that the experience would be less about the object and more about the tea – its infusion, movement, light, colour, warmth and scent.
the pair began studying scientific glassblowers’ methods and tools to make one-off labware. As they learned about the glass cylinders used as a starting point, Forsythe + MacAllen specified standard tube and wall thickness dimensions. They paid particular attention to maintaining the purity of this original form. They created drawings for their “float tea lantern’ and tea cups and entered them in the Design 21 Competition. Winning the competition, they used the prize money to produce the prototype tea set.
float wins an AR+D Award in 2002
the prototype was submitted to the 2002 AR+D Awards for Emerging Architecture, an architecture competition also open to design objects. float was honoured with an AR+D Award, which brought even further attention. With so much interest, Forsythe + MacAllen were motivated to begin commercial production. Giving themselves the deadline to present the set (and introduce molo) at the 2004 ICFF, they began seeking a manufacturer.
Forsythe + McAllen understood that the history of Bohemian glass dates back to the 15th century and that the Czech Republic continues to be a tremendous glass-blowing culture. Through further research, the designers found that borosilicate glass blowing is done at
many small factories surrounding Prague.
fortuitously, through another competition win, the partners were invited to Italy to tour Flos’ workshops. They travelled to Czechia on the same trip in search of a skilled manufacturer for float. They visited several glassblowers, and the craftspeople they encountered were exceptionally kind, often recommending additional glassblowers to visit.
several of these kindly glassblowers drove the designers to the factories they were recommending. In this way, they crossed the snowy, rolling Czech countryside, learning how courageous entrepreneurs had started these smaller factories as Czechia broke away from the Soviet Union.
on the final afternoon of the trip, they found the right studio in an ancient village in the Liberec Region, which also turned out to be the home of Stanislav Libensky and Jaroslava Brychtová, a husband-wife team of glass artists and great favourites of Forsythe + MacAllen. As the pair left town that evening, their hosts pointed out a cottage nestled into a hill with smoke curling from its Chimney – the home of Brychtová and Libensky.
the first production run of float glassware – hand-made, one piece at a time, as it still is – arrived in Vancouver from the Czech Republic just two weeks before being premiered at the 2004 ICFF. The tea set was wonderfully received, and molo was awarded Best New Designer. float has since been acquired into many vital collections, won awards, and appeared in several major films and tv shows.
Photo Credit: Alana Paterson
Stephanie Forsythe at ICFF 2004 - paper softwall prototype shown above is taped to the hard walls of the booth for structural support. Early rendition without end panels. ICFF 2004 Editors Award for “Best New Designer”. Also featured: molo float tea set
whiskey glasses or tea cups?
float martini glasses
decades of study
over three decades, Stephanie Forsythe + Todd McAllen have been studying the concept of flexible spacing making and its impact on how we live and work. Multiple iterations of the groundbreaking soft collection have been put to use and featured in over 100 institutions around the world, including the MoMA and the Nobel Prize Museum. Explore the full collection:
molo founders Stephanie Forsyth and Todd MacAllen ·
photo by Alana Paterson
