Amanda Gunawan
From Salone del Mobile to Shoppe Object at High Point, each of the products in our holiday gift guide was selected by designers, for designers. With a focus on functionality, uniqueness, and aesthetic appeal, each of the products in our holiday gift guide are poised to inspire and elevate the creative spirits of designers from all disciplines.
Tomoko Imade Dyen’s tea omakase was detailed and intimate and elegant and while she is not a designer nor a potter, she became a “main character” that night in telling the “story” of OWIU Goods. Without characters helping tell the story and show how to use the products in new and interesting ways, you can limit growth and miss out on reaching potential consumers. Sometimes finding those characters is obvious. In this case, Tomoko is an expert in elevated culinary experiences, helping to market to those who appreciate them too and can use OWIU Goods to enhance their own everyday culinary experiences.
Gunawan defines herself as a progressive architect. When people hear the term progressive architect they get intimidated. In her experience, people assume it means something technical and lofty, but she stands by the term. It means always improving, turning failures into opportunities. In practice that means building upon what already exists. This is the philosophy behind the name of her architecture design and build firm, The Only Way is Up.