By pushing a material to its limit, a designer is able to discover new ways of making. Innovation often radiates out from specialized experimentation into commercialization and the masses, and many times the initial product is simply a proof-of-concept for much broader application; think corrugated cardboard, super-glue, and bubble-wrap. The following works explore the structural extents of metal rod.
CIRCUIT is a powder-coated steel rod lounge chair. Comprised of a series of loops that intersect at critical points to form its structure, CIRCUIT challenges perception and form as it relates to structure. Its multiple planes of repeated lines visually overlap to create new graphic compositions from every view. Akin to FIELD and LOOP, CIRCUIT has no secondary structure and relies solely on the intersection of its primary composition for structure. The piece is formed simply of two looped wire profiles, which alternate creating cantilevered ends on both front and back legs as well as the back. These cantilevered ends provide an unexpected floating appearance, blurring the object into its environment.
CIRCUIT 2014
Powder-coated steel.
W 28.5 D 32.5 H 14.5/25.5
FIELD bench aims to challenge the perception of structure while pushing the limits of a single material. Made from powder-coated steel rod, its projected rays of lines intersect, forming an interdependent system comprised of two nesting sets that creates a unique and sculptural seating surface. My design intent with FIELD was to create surface out of line, and push the material capabilities of steel rod. I innovated the wire furniture space by creating furniture that had no secondary structure. By secondary structure, I mean that there are no support pieces that cross over primary pieces simply to provide structure. Each piece of wire in FIELD–as well as LOOP and CIRCUIT–is integral to both the structure and form.
FIELD 2014
Powder-coated steel.
W 84 D 24 H 18
Made of powder-coated steel rod, the LOOP side table and console are about repetition, continuous loops, and critical points of intersection. Using one single form of material, the LOOP tables explore the space and graphic qualities of intersecting lines. Alongside CIRCUIT and FIELD, LOOP pushes the idea of solely primary structure through intersectional points. LOOP is the most straight forward thesis for this topic, keeping the form as basic as possible, only deviating with the inner frame in order to exemplify the structure created through this alternation.
LOOP 2014
Powder-coated steel.
W 18, 56 D 16,17 H 18, 29
