It was the early 19th-century architect and designer Augustus Pugin who called for an honest approach to materials and construction in these respective areas: one that advocates keeping the imprint of assemblage as a visible, even decorative detail, and counters additional inauthentic layers. In today’s world, the general expectation is that new products are fully polished and typically crystal clear. It is rare to find objects that “genuinely” bear evidence of their manufacture.
With the new Collection of SEAM sconcesAustralian boutique lighting brand Kind has returned to this principle. Unveiled at Manhattan’s NoMad showroom, the new offering celebrates the imperfection of assembly as decoration.
The steel and brass linear fixtures bear the rough welds of their seamless assembly as a central flourish, either as an additional three-dimensional feature or as a sandpapered, squiggly line, multi-toned pattern. These integrated interventions juxtapose planar surfaces that connect and rectilinear, architectural sections that filter diffused light. The particularly tall and thin lamps take on monumental dimensions.
These two metals are chemically opposite, and fusing them seamlessly is usually a significant technical challenge. Differences in melting points, thermal expansion and evaporation of zinc in brass can lead to instability and inconsistency. By allowing this cohesion to remain uncluttered, Articolo’s design team was able to develop a new solution. The proposal is largely the result of the collaboration between the brand and its manufacturer on an equal footing.
“The SEAM collection is extremely complex in its simplicity and reflects many iterations to achieve these works of art,” says Nicci Kavals, founder and director. “The craftsmen we work with are highly skilled in their craft and are used to us pushing materials beyond their perceived limits. Everything we do challenges our engineering, our materials and what we ask of our manufacturers.”
To see this and other pieces from the brand, visit articolostudios.com.
Photo courtesy of Articolo Studios.
