Tom Dixon x PH Pianos
A PH Grand Piano Legacy Edition at Canary Wharf Penthouse
PH Pianos has commenced a collaboration with the world-renowned design and interior company, Tom Dixon Design Research Studio.
CEO of PH Pianos, Søren Vincents Svendsen states in his announcement, “We are extremely proud and honored to have been asked by Tom Dixon to be involved in a project in London. Our PH Grand Piano is the most iconic design piano on the market, and it is now part of the exquisite interior setting of the most spectacular penthouse apartment on Canary Wharf in London.”
A Curated Residential Project
In Canary Wharf, in the East of London, a new residential tower has been completed by the famous Swiss architecture firm Herzog & de Meuron. On the 56th floor are bespoke duplex apartments, in which Herzog & de Meuron have carried out the architectural design, as well as penthouse interior design. Complementing the architectural approach, Tom Dixon’s Design Research Studio has created its own immersive interior design concept for the penthouses- the “Home of the Collector.” The apartment features our specially crafted Legacy Edition PH Grand Piano.
Herzog & de Meuron has influenced the world of modern architecture with well-known buildings including the Elbphilharmonie concert hall in Hamburg, Vitrahaus, and the Turbine Hall at Tate Modern in London, among dozens of others.
On the top floor of their new Canary Wharf building, One Park Drive, this prestigious penthouse apartment boasts an unmatched view of the whole of the east of London, with the incredible curving river, and what was once the biggest port in the world, directly below.
Design Research Studio have matched the originality of the One Park Drive Penthouse spaces with a highly unusual conceptual approach, creating the narrative of the ‘Home of the Collector’ and filling the spaces with original art and collectible design.
“We decided to imagine the spaces through the persona of an international collector,” explained Tom Dixon during our interview, “a lover of architecture and travel that has decided to make their home in London and has curated, over time, a selection of extraordinary objects, art and furniture.”
The PH Grand Piano: in the Home of the Collector
Our CEO, Søren Vincents Svendsen met with Tom Dixon himself in the beautiful 2-level penthouse of One Park Drive, to talk about design, the project, and the inclusion of our PH Grand Piano in the project. Mr. Dixon’s phrasing came easily and impeccably, and his keen understanding and expertise in design were apparent from the first moments of the conversation.
Mr. Dixon began, “I've only discovered very recently that Poul [Henningsen] made a piano at all, and I think it's a bit of hidden history which is very interesting. [Henningsen] is known for his superior knowledge of electrical lighting, quite early on in the development of electric light, particularly his scientific attitude towards how to illuminate spaces. [Those] are still in production now, which is an extraordinary run if you think about longevity in products. But the piano really came very much as a surprise, and came from Helene [Andersen], who is Danish, who worked on this project.”
Dixon continued, “It was her wish to not just promote Danish design, but also have some extraordinary pieces in here that also had function. What’s great about this PH Piano is that it also acts like a sculpture, like an art piece, but also has this obvious function of piano. And, I think what's amazing about it is really if you think of the period it was made, because this was 1930, right. So, we see all kinds of different aspects to this design. Not always aspects that you'd put in 1930, actually.”
True Design Legacy, Handmade Today
The PH Grand Piano which sits in the space has been custom-made with black woven leather around the curved rim, with chromed legs and metal trim, and with copper-black wood finish. The design is one of four piano designs by Poul Henningsen, which he created in the 1930s. Today, all PH pianos are made under exclusive license by PH Pianos based in Copenhagen. Each one is custom-made according to the customer’s preferences, using the traditional techniques of piano manufacture combined with the specialized manufacturing processes required for the very futuristic cabinetry of this incredible art-case piano.
Design That Belongs to the Future
Dixon, himself a renowned designer of lighting and furniture pieces, had much to say about the material and structure of PH’s piano design. “I was intrigued by the fact that this must be a very early use of plexiglass. And, it's all curve, which again would have been a very advanced technique, probably taken from airplanes, I imagine. The use of that obviously gives this amazing transparency.”
“Where I think it's revolutionary is that usually the best part of a piano is completely hidden, right? I mean, the amazing technology and precision of the layout of the strings. So, just by allowing transparency, we've got something kind of interesting. But PH has gone to this really extravagant kind of shape” — Dixon gestured to the lid of the piano — "almost like a butterfly wing. And it's very expressive for a designer generally known for starting off in the Bauhaus period, when things were really minimal.”
“So, it's a kind of hybrid of lots of different styles and lots of different ideas, all sitting in a very rational kind of footprint, and making something which still looks like it could have been made yesterday, even though it's got this almost 100-year history.”
Svendsen asked about the parallels Mr. Dixon recognized between the PH Grand Piano and his own design language.
“For me, probably the connection is the interest in the structure and the internals. So, by opening up and allowing—even when the piano is in 'rest mode'—the "guts" of the beast to be exposed, is something that I like to do quite often. Also, the fact that the structure is very much in evidence, whether that's the structure of the lid, or the structure of the actual workings of the piano. For me, this is something where you get free decoration: from this incredible array of strings, in these beautiful colors of copper and silver, and even the red felt, which is in itself I think very decorative. It's like a contemporary art installation, and it's fully functional. So, celebrating the decorative aspects of functionality is something I'm very interested in.”
Collecting as an Art Form
A strictly curated set of pieces were selected to be part of the collection for this penthouse apartment. Svendsen asked about the important criteria and symbolic meanings of the chosen pieces, and particularly of the PH Grand Piano.
Mr. Dixon explained: “For me, some of these things are purely conversation pieces… [and some of the designs have] the ability to produce something unusual out of something very familiar. And [in the case of the PH Grand Piano], it's a celebration of music as well, and the joy of music.”
The forward-thinking elements of the design, combined with the undeniably fascinating legacy of the PH Grand Piano intrigued Mr. Dixon the most. “What's interesting about this is that the piano is something is something which has evolved to what people thought was its kind of optimum state. Particularly classical instruments are often like that. But, by using the very 'set' innards of the piano, and celebrating the extraordinary curves, and rethinking the box, I think that [the PH Grand Piano] is a model for a lot of other classical instruments as well. “
A Wise Investment for Every Collector
It is an honor that the PH Grand Piano was sought out and included among some of the most renowned designers’ and artists’ works in the Canary Wharf penthouse project. The PH Grand Piano is a stunning musical instrument, and as Mr. Dixon commented, “it acts as a piece of sculpture, even though it's got a very clear and precise function. So, you're getting two for the price of one!” We look forward to the next collaboration with Mr. Dixon, whatever form it may take.