Toronto’s design community is home to voices that push material and form in unexpected directions. One of those voices is Maha Alavi, an industrial designer whose work spans hardware, furniture, and homeware. Splitting her time between Tokyo and Toronto, Maha draws on travel, architecture, and philosophy to create sculptural pieces in brass, bronze, and glass. Her objects feel both instinctive and deliberate, grounded in process yet poetic in form.
We sat down with Maha to hear, in her own words, what inspires her practice, the role of intuition in her process, and how she imagines her pieces living in everyday spaces.
Tanya: Can you tell us a bit about your background and how you came to design objects?
Maha: I started sort of by accident again a few years ago. I was a bit lost after having studied philosophy in university; to “reset” I went back to doing what I’ve always loved, which is creating with my hands in some way, going back to design school as well. It slowly grew from there into something more substantial and now I find myself dreaming up different forms and bringing them to life - for a living!
Tanya: How would you describe your design philosophy in a sentence or two?
Maha: These days it’s like I’m tending to a garden… Like I’m a gardener nurturing a vision, growing, harvesting, propagating, and perhaps most importantly, learning.
Tanya: What are the materials or design references that feel most foundational to your practice?
Maha: Of course metals, especially white bronze and natural bronze. Those are pretty foundational to my practice since they are not the most common. Reference wise I make sure to always go to exhibitions in whichever city I find myself in, making sure to get a good idea of both ancient and contemporary works. I like to look to “small scale” nature a lot, stems, weeds, wildflowers, seeds. I also travel a lot, and always gather an abundance of inspiration and learnings from my trips. Changing perspectives and sceneries every so often, is an integral part of my design process. I rely a lot on my philosophy background in developing narratives for my collections to grow from through travel and readings.
Tanya: You often draw inspiration from architecture and travel. Can you share a place or memory that’s left a lasting mark on your work?
Maha: A few months ago I went to the Tokyo Metropolitan Teien Art Museum in the stunning art deco residence of Prince Asaka. I saw the work of Mishima Ritsue who is an amazing glass artist, creating the most fantastical forms in molten glass. Immensely inspired by that I referenced her works as well as the otherworldly paintings of Joan Miró to design a new glass / brass knob. I’ll be working more with glass in the coming months, and it all started from the seeds of inspiration and admiration that Mishima’s work planted in my mind (or perhaps more aptly - garden!).
Tanya: What drew you to working with metal, particularly brass and bronze?
Maha: I initially wanted to make a cast bronze bottle opener from the form that is now the CERCLE Pull Thick. I meant for it to be a sculptural tabletop object, inspired by the Japanese brand Futagami helmed by Oji Masanori. I first came across his work many years ago at a talk Masanori was giving at Mjolk in Toronto.
Tanya: Do you find yourself designing more from instinct or intention, or is it a balance of both?
Maha: Definitely instinct, it’s really the only way I know how to work. It always starts from a seed of inspiration from travel, books, conversation, etc., and then builds from there into something tangible. I always have to be excited about what I’m working on, otherwise it doesn’t materialize. I also realized quite recently that I don’t like working in rooms where I can sense the ceiling. So I much prefer working, at least thinking and ideating, outdoors or rooms from where I can clearly see the sky.
Tanya: Can you walk us through the process of bringing a piece from idea to finished object?
Maha: Tying back to the reply above, I don’t really have a set way of doing things. I’ve noticed I like to create inline with my own intuition and emotions. Apart from that, there’s not much of a routine or set pattern. I don’t always sketch either, often I’ll go straight to 3D, whether that’s 3D modeling through software, or by hand through clay, the concepts come to life in one way or another. After working through a few iterations, testing scale, materials, and finishes, the final form is decided. It takes a lot of trials and research, but it gets there eventually. I always keep the original concept and inspiration in mind and let it guide me to the best method of expression. I’ll only produce things that feel right. Typically I find when inspiration strikes, the rest follows quickly. I’ll rely on creating a narrative, starting from a theory, working from an archetypal level down to something tangible. That’s how it starts, usually. Other times, the form will just appear in my head and then it’s simply a matter of bringing it out into the world in the purest way. But these times are rare!
Tanya: What role does imperfection or material variability play in your work?
Maha: I love organic forms and textures. I also love combining materials in unexpected ways. My OLIO series and new MIRO knob are all reflections of this. I want to keep on exploring combinations of glass and various metals speaking to each other in interesting ways. Alternatively, I feel there is almost an obligation to have smoother, more refined textures available as well. My CERCLE series is closer to this ideal of pure geometry and sleek finishes. In the end, I suppose I just enjoy seeing a wide but considered range of tones and textures.
Tanya: Tell us about the inspiration behind the Olio vase series.
Maha: The OLIO Vases originally started as legs for a cast metal table I was thinking of doing. I wanted the table to have 3 metals working together building one form like oil and water. The table didn’t end up happening for various reasons, mostly because I wasn’t 100% about the form, but I did want to show the leg forms! So I decided to debut them as a separate series of vases in the interim, also maybe thinking of transforming them into table lamps in the next little bit. It’s always interesting to see the intent with which a design begins, and then what it ends up actually being. It’s not always straightforward!
Tanya: How do you see your pieces living in a home? Is there a particular feeling or interaction you hope to create?
Maha: I love seeing my pieces installed or displayed in clients’ homes / projects. My customers are the best in the world and I often get messages like “I love your work, I have to have it in my house!” and that’s the singular best feeling in the world as an artist. Someone going out of their way to include you in their daily life and routines… Interacting with your pieces everyday! It feels really special for my work to be considered in those ways. I want the objects to feel decadent and luxurious. These pieces are hand sculpted and hand crafted, they have substantial weight because I use only the finest materials for casting, and every finish is chosen carefully and deliberately to enhance the space it will live in. But there’s also a sense of groundedness and practicality that comes naturally with products that people will encounter frequently in their homes. I’d love for the pieces to feel ubiquitous, like effortless, but purposeful art situated in a home with people living their beautiful lives intertwined with art.
Tanya: What’s a recent object or space that moved you?
Maha: I recently saw Ben Nicholson’s Pears (1927) in a gallery in Cambridge, UK. These paintings inspired my ANJOU Candleholder a few years ago, and it was my first time seeing them in person, such a wonderful feeling! The gallery itself was absolutely amazing and I would recommend it to anyone interested in English art and design from the 20th century.
Tanya: What’s next for you, anything exciting on the horizon?
Maha: I’m soon going to be releasing jewelry, lighting, floor cushions, more hardware of course, and likely more furniture as well. Stay tuned for a productive next few months from the studio :)
