San Francisco-based designer, teacher and surfer Christopher Deam indulges the full extent of a California Zen 'less is more' credo. Since 1991, his company CCD has offered design solutions that are always fluid and simple. Reductive detailing means the removal of materials - "a hole for a handle" has become his mantra. But Deam is more influenced by Popular Mechanics and innovative new technologies and materials than over-intellectualized concepts.

Trained in Milan and with visionary architect Frank Gehry, Deam explains the dilemma of the American designer with practicality - "Outside of a mentor (or star) system, new designers are responsible for creating their vision themselves." Deam takes the initiative to delve into America's grassroots culture - custom cars, surfboards, and hip hop all inspire his spartan designs. Deam's brand of minimalism is a user-friendly proposition: "The detail lies in what is stripped away, fostering a spontaneity and inventiveness on the part of the user."
text by *surface magazine