In this era of social media, people like to use anything trendy in fashion and this applies to living spaces. Since 2016, Poros Living has followed this stream with the firm’s ergonomic contemporary furniture designs, which are rooted in Indonesian cultural heritage.
Hans Susantio has raised his name in the interior design industry with his firm Vindate Interior & Architecture. As a designer, he likes to explore different disciplines especially the ones related to his work, such as furniture design. Since the beginning of Vindate Interior & Architecture, Hans has planned that someday he would create a product design label. Along the way, he found it quite hard to find furniture that precisely meets the project needs and market specifications; hence, most of the projects are filled with customised furniture. In 2016, he established Poros Living, a product design brand focusing on furniture and home décor.
The brand is named after an Indonesian word ‘poros’, which means axis or starting point. With this name, Hans hopes that having Poros Living furniture will bring a fresh start for the customers. “For me personally, Poros Living is a fresh start – my starting point in the product design industry that might be followed by my future brands,” says Hans.
Aside from concerns of ergonomic and functions, Poros Living focuses on contemporary modern tropical design in respect of Indonesia’s cultural heritage. Some of the products are designed for outdoors, but made with details and nuance that allow them to be used in indoor settings as well. The designs highlight the diversity in Indonesian cultures, both from the indigenous and the acculturation processes. Some products have a touch of colonial design, Art Deco and other styles.
As a proud Indonesian designer, Hans raises the local wisdom in his design. Poros Living’s products are dominated with solid woods and rattan that the country is very rich with. We also have a long history of wooden and rattan craftsmanship that is kept alive by the skilful craftsmen.
All of the designs were started from Hans’ hand sketches before they were put into blueprints and built. “I don’t have a certain favourite design technique. They are all inspired by scenes that I have been through – from daily life, to coffee shops and travels. That is why the design is diverse, as it depends on the energy that surrounds me when I sketch it,” explains Hans. He develops the brand organically and tends to let it flow with the advancement of his thinking. This is how he enjoys product design while maintaining the contemporary modern tropical along the way.
Each year, Poros Living comes with different scenes for their exhibitions. After taking us to a seaside villa-like booth last year, for their exhibition this year, they took us to a setting of a hill-side villa. This year’s collection is dominated with brass and finishes of black and grey. So far, the setting is always villa, as it represents the leisure life. Nevertheless, Poros Living is indeed designed for those who appreciate beauty and function, and especially for those who celebrate life.