Work Shop 4 Cabinet by Fiona Lynch.

Sydney creative James Guerrisi of G UE. Studio and Melbourne photographer Pier Carthew have collaborated on a dystopian photo shoot, shining a light on the many talented players—both established and emerging—of Melbourne’s thriving design scene.

The project, titled ‘Temper Forte’ is a play on the Italian phrase ‘Semper Forte’ which translates to Forever Strong. Combining ‘Temper’—a metallurgy process of improving the characteristics of metal—with ‘Forte’—a thing at which someone excels—the editorial piece projects the objects into a dark and futuristic visual scape.

Exploring elements of the dystopian futurism of the 1980s, references to the architectural movements of minimalism and materiality pair naturally with the work of locals including Volker Haug, Brud Studia, Jordan Fleming, Fiona Lynch, Another Bureau of Design, Cordon Salon and Dalton Stewart.

The set is minimal with makeshift plywood walls in hues of black, glossy floors and chrome screens. Jordan Fleming’s powder blue mushroom lamp from her Bright Things collection surprises with its tactile expression and unpredictable hand-built nature.