UK practice Heatherwick Studio has designed its first eyewear collection for Japanese brand Jins, comprising asymmetric frames with playful rippling surfaces.
The studio, led by designer Thomas Heatherwick, applied its human-centred philosophy to the project, resulting in organic silhouettes that aim to complement the natural contours of the wearer's face.
"Glasses are deeply intimate objects – a quiet expression of who we are – yet too often, frames feel generic and detached from the individuality of the face," executive partner and group leader at Heatherwick Studio Stuart Wood said.
"We wanted to create glasses that sit more naturally on each face, revealing character and making every wearer feel a little more special."
The Jins x Heatherwick Studio collaboration comprises four different frame shapes, all featuring undulating surfaces crafted from resin or titanium that eschew the rational and linear forms typically associated with eyewear.
The plastic frames are available in four colours based on various natural elements: grey mist, amber stone, stream fern and obsidian black.
The titanium versions come in either a brushed matte finish or a polished finish that reflects its surroundings like the surface of water or molten metal.
"Our design is inspired by the movement and material richness of nature: the flow of water, the movement of air, the luminosity of stone," Wood added. "Its forms feel less manufactured and more organic – as if shaped by natural forces rather than engineered."
The selection of four frames comprises options designed for different face shapes, including a rounded silhouette and a classic Wellington style with more square-shaped lenses.
The frames utilise Jins' premium lightweight materials and Airframe concept, which aims to create a more comfortable wearing experience by offsetting the weight of the glasses.
Jins has previously collaborated with designers and architects including Michele de Lucchi, Konstantin Grcic and Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec, on projects aimed at expanding the possibilities of eyewear.
The brand has also worked with leading architects to design some of its retail outlets, including a store by Schemata Architects featuring wraparound glass walls and a copper-clad building by Yuko Nagayama & Associates that includes a cafe and rooftop terrace.
Read: Heatherwick Studio unveils stadium surrounded by 12 chimneys for Birmingham City
Heatherwick Studio has offices in London and Shanghai, with more than 250 employees working to design buildings, spaces, objects and infrastructure projects that are driven by a focus on the human experience.
The studio's previous projects include a design for a football stadium in England surrounded by 12 brick chimneys and a sculptural bottle created for gin brand Bombay Sapphire.
Other examples of innovative eyewear featured on Dezeen include "auto-focus glasses" that change their optical power based on where the wearer is looking, and a collection of sunglasses designed by architect Kengo Kuma that are 3D printed from castor beans.
The photography is courtesy of Heatherwick Studio.
