Austin, yuccastuff.com
An architect by training, Daniel Morrison worked for OMA and Ball-Nogues before moving back to Texas and setting up his furniture studio, Yucca Stuff, which takes both its curious name and its materials palette from his home state. There’s nothing regional, though, about his on-point, minimalist aesthetic.

What is American design to you, and what excites you about it?

American design is a profusion of regional attitudes. Every part of the country has its own manufacturing history, a unique material palette, and a vernacular design language. I’m most interested in the work that results when American designers leverage the capabilities of their region.

What are your plans and highlights for the upcoming year?

In November 2017, I moved my studio from Brooklyn to Austin, Texas. With the move comes more space and exposure to new vendors and materials. I’m excited about connecting with a new community of collaborators and sourcing some materials I’ve always wanted to work with: red sandstone, grey Lueders limestone, and local hardwoods like pecan and mesquite. In 2017, I released a collection of new pieces, including a limestone and wood coffee table and a credenza with terracotta handles. I can’t wait to start filling orders for these new pieces. But mostly, I’m hopeful that the move to Texas will afford a slower, more focused creative life.

What inspires or informs your work in general?

My training as an architect frames the way I think about furniture and product design, especially in my approach to materials. The palette of central Texas has always been a guiding force for the studio practice. There are some materials that I will never grow tired of: white limestone, rusted steel, terracotta, saddle leather. For me, these materials engender a certain timelessness. I’m inclined to keep my work simple enough to honor their temporal qualities. I refresh my perspective with art and travel, but there are a few people that will always inform my work: Donald Judd, Louis Kahn, and Peter Zumthor.