Derrick Hurst

During my undergraduate work, I studied and made Ceramic Sculpture. I love the freedom and complex tactility of ceramics, and the incredible flexibility of the medium. After graduating with a BA, I started leading adventure travel tours as a bicycle mechanic throughout the US and Canada.

I found Industrial Design through a deep appreciation for how things work and a desire to create art that would be functional and useful. San Francisco State University had a master’s program that fit my philosophy- a strong focus on manufacturing paired with the fundamentals of aesthetics and user interface. My studies there led me to work with lighting and furniture design greats Peter Stathis, Mike McCoy, Pablo Pardo and others. I also took a deep dive into design consultancy life with a stint at New Deal Design where I worked with some truly inspiring young designers.

Later I found an opportunity to work as a mechanical engineer in Taiwan at a lighting manufacturer who makes products for very well-respected companies such as Flos, Pablo Designs, Humanscale, Sonneman, and many others. My work included meshing optical, electrical, and mechanical solutions to match the visual design of the client. This pushed me to focus on every small detail, and my training in design helped me communicate with both designers and engineers as equal stakeholders.

Over the years, I’ve co-founded two previous companies- Light & Contrast, a lighting company with Peter Stathis and Here Now, a furniture company with Justin Champaign. Both companies, as well as much of my previous work, have been rewarded with numerous design awards and a few utility patents.

My focus with Direction and Current is to leverage all of this experience, all the tough lessons, and all of the big wins to help you bring your designs successfully into production.