The manipulation of a material, whose inherent qualities speak to permanence and solidity, into sculptural forms that move effortlessly between the design realms of lightness, whimsy, and decadence is an artform few can attain.
For Auckland designer Todd Stevenson and co-founder Andrea Harradine of Powersurge, metal artistry is something they live and breathe every day — weaving a striking narrative between the vitality of the metals they work with, the endless inspiration of Aotearoa’s landscapes, and the omnipresent draw of simplicity — striving to achieve designs that embody refinement in a raw state of beauty.
The pair started Powersurge in 1994, and, over the years, they’ve consistently delivered an innovative take on bespoke metal artistry across projects of immense diversity, from high-end residential homes to retail fit outs, commercial spaces, and everything in between — each piece linked by the unmistakable signature of precision that the brand has built its reputation around.
Most notable of late is a new direction for Powersurge: the release of its Home Collection, a growing curation of ready-to-order brass products of distinctive and decadent appeal spanning lighting, furniture, accessories, and mirrors, all made locally in Tāmaki Makaurau.
It’s a collection that underscores a deep reverence for form and material. Take, for example, the Fall coffee table. At first glance, it’s unassuming; it’s minimal, restrained — there’s a quietness about it that speaks slowly to the senses. “It was designed to create visual harmony through minimal composition, enclosing balanced negative space beneath its lines and curves,” Todd says. The result is a lightness that belies its industrial weight.
The Lito Dual Trio pendant is another masterstroke of enduring subtlety. It embodies a nuanced symmetrical harmony, with lineal lengths fixed to a central hexagonal piece, presenting flashes of the brass facade between channels. Hung individually, it offers itself as a slimline modernist pendant; presented in a cluster with its Lito counterparts, it becomes part of a gently engaging illuminated sculpture.
Of Powersurge’s bespoke work, the possibilities are limited only by the imagination. And as the team continues to explore the sculptural identities of new products for the growing Home Collection, we eagerly await the next chapter of this powerful design story.
