We have applied our experience in contemporary design and cutting-edge technology to create an innovative men’s eyewear collection for Freigeist.
“Freigeist” means “free spirit” in German and reflects our ethos of exploring creativity and a design language inspired by modern architecture.
The EOC/Freigeist collection is characterised by minimalism and clean lines. With three styles made from titanium, aluminium, and acetate, each is characterised by the unique properties of that material. Only essential finishing is carried out in the manufacturing process, with the natural colour of the materials retained on the frames. There are few embellishments in the designs, with attention given to comfort and functional detailing.
The distinctive collection embraces a design approach from first principles – questioning the preconceived assumptions in eyewear and focusing on the needs of the user.
James O’Callaghan reflects, “We have adopted pure essentialism in our design. For example, not using hinges overcomes a design obstacle without limiting functionality. We recognised that most glasses wearers rarely fold their glasses and, as our frame is made from a single piece of titanium, they maintain their shape extremely well.
“The titanium frame is laser-cut from a single sheet, then hand folded. Without hinges, and being exceptionally thin, the frame is extremely light, whilst also sturdy.
“The eyewear project with Freigeist may seem tangential to my usual practice as a structural engineer. However, the frames are essentially crafted structures for fixing small pieces of glass – something that we usually do on a much larger scale at EOC – so I jumped at the chance to conceive and put a spin on a product that so many of us rely on every day, myself included.”
