Motive Pendant Light

Motive lighting designer Justin Champaign and his grandfather shared a passion for automobiles, which led to industrial design studies in transportation design at the Academy of Art. But a summer job introduced him to furniture design, and he transferred to the California College of Art to study furniture design. A Design Within Reach-sponsored course, led by industrial designer Brian Kane, exposed Champaign to the contract furniture market, and things clicked. The relationship with Kane led to a job at contract furniture manufacturer Metro, part of the Steelcase portfolio. Metro evolved into Coalesse, and Champaign became its first industrial designer, involved in all aspects of the business, including brand development. Champaign’s interests turned to power, which he saw as an essential component to furniture but lacking the thoughtfulness it deserved. This interest took Champaign to Pablo Lighting, where he worked at the intersection of craft and technology, designing one of the first lighting and USB charging products on the market.