With sustainability and air quality in mind, an architect and a furniture manufacturer have joined forces to create a furniture collection that uses natural products without chemical offsetting. The approach is dual-faceted: consider the planet during material selection, and consider the wellness of the user.

“We can make a positive impact and make sure what we surround ourselves with has a positive impact on us.” says Sean Sutcliffe, founder of Benchmark, a U.K.-based furniture manufacturer. “Sustainability has always been at the heart of what we do, and it is an area we are always striving to be better in. You are never done with being sustainable.”

To achieve this goal, all wood for this new furniture line is FSC-certified and sourced from sustainably managed forests. In an effort to avoid using any synthetic materials whatsoever, the designers also used wool for the upholstery and copper for the accents. The team even turned to experts in the field at The Naturalmat Company to find solutions centered around natural materials. As a result, four materials are combined in the new pieces for maximum comfort and sustainability. These include Soil Association-certified organic wool from farms in Devon, Dorset, and Somerset, coir (a fiber derived from coconut husks), natural latex (made from the soap of the Hevea rubber tree), and recycled cotton. To finish the products, the team used natural oils rather than relying on toxic chemicals and VOCs.

“Critical issues being discussed around sustainability and the use of finite resources on the planet have stimulated very intelligent discussions in the design of products and buildings,” states David Rockwell, U.S. architect and owner of Rockwell Group, adding: “It’s incredibly important — the materials we have on the planet are all we have and these pieces are built to last for generations. Sean Sutcliffe and his team are true craftspeople who think about material origin and how an object is made, produced, and recycled.”

Transparency was crucial for the team in an effort to clearly outline their supply and manufacturing processes. As a result, the Sage collection is labeled with a DECLARE designation, a label that answers the questions:

“Where does a product come from?

What is it made of?

Where does it go at the end of its life?”

User comfort is also considered in the designs. Aesthetically-pleasing curved edges and careful attention to the direction of the wood grain exemplify this idea. To top it all off, every piece in the Sage collection has also been ergonomically designed for long-term use and comfort.

Benchmark and the Rockwell Group’s efforts to account for the well-being of their consumers haven’t gone unnoticed. The new collection has already qualified for WELL certification: a distinction given to projects that stress the importance of human health.

The collection, launched at 100% Design during the recent London Design Festival, includes several striking pieces. Standout items include sitting and standing desks, meeting and occasional tables, sofas, and storage containers.

Thoughtful furniture design means creating pieces that can be used for generations and subtracting from the typical waste of revolving short-term options. Equal to the usefulness of the collection is the overarching goal of the collaboration between the like-minded duo: to inspire other designers and manufacturers to focus on sustainability and less-impactful processes for the industry as a whole. They hope for a future where businesses are transparent throughout the supply and production chain, and where everyone focuses on doing the right thing for the planet.

The post Benchmark’s Sage Collection Takes Sustainable Furniture Design to the Next Level first appeared on Dornob.

As Heatherwick sees it, Vessel is neither a building nor a sculpture. Rather, he sees it as a massive piece of urban furniture inviting the city to climb, and he hopes it will become as much of a landmark for Manhattan as the Spanish Stairs are to Rome. Consisting of 154 staircases, over 2,000 individual steps, and 80 landings, it’s meandering path spans over a mile in length when spread out from end to end. From each landing, visitors can gaze out at the inscrutable facades of office towers and apartment blocks with price tags ranging between $4 and $32 million, as well as the Hudson River beyond. If they turn to look inward, they’ll get a rather dizzying view of the structure itself.

“To create something meaningful, the studio wanted to create a structure that visitors could use, touch, and relate to,” reads Heatherwick’s description of the project. “Drawing inspiration from the ancient step wells of India, the studio sought to evoke the powerful effect of their repeating steps, flights, and landings that reach down to the earth… polished copper undersides contrast with the raw painted steel surfaces of the complex architectural framework, enlivening the structure with reflections of the surrounding city. Forming the heart of this large new district, Vessel represents the intention for Hudson Yards to create a meaningful public legacy for New York.”

It should be noted that “Vessel” is only a temporary name. Heatherwick says the structure’s final name will be determined by the public as they continue to experience it. Thus far, suggestions have been less than flattering: among those listed on the NYC subreddit are “Shawarma,” “The Abdomen,” “Staircase McStaircaseface,” “UnitedHealth Group Vessel Brought to You by Papa John’s Dot Com Bowl” and “Chalice of the Privileged.” Even professional editorials have called it everything from an “alien tribunal” to “a billionaire’s fantasy city.”

Much of the criticism surrounding the structure stems from Hudson Yards’ apparent inaccessibility to everyday New Yorkers, and the fact that it was built using $4.5 billion in taxpayer money. The complex is built above a 28-acre rail yard on the city’s “Far West Side,” which formerly represented the largest swath of undeveloped property in Manhattan, and is only half complete at this point.

Controversy aside, the public is clearly clamoring to take part in the experience of climbing Vessel, even if all they get from it is an elevated heart rate and a red face. It shouldn’t be too hard to do, either, considering 700 people can be on it at one time and climbing is totally free. Still, visitors are encouraged to snag reservations online at least 14 days in advance, as all upcoming reservations are currently sold out. Hundreds of people lined up to get inside on opening day, and social media platforms like Twitter and Instagram have been flooded with the resulting selfies ever since.

The post Climbable Escher-Like “Vessel” Maze Opens in NYC first appeared on Dornob.

The Mood Swing collection has been broadcast several times on TV in the UK. And metal sculptor Stephen Myburgh is no stranger to promoting himself on TV either; in August 2011, he appeared on “Dragon’s Den,” a TV show on BBC,to present his majestic Mood Swing copper swing seats for possible investment.
“Give me a chance I’ll make magic products that the world will buy, I promise you,” said South African-born Myburgh on the show, but unfortunately, the “dragons” just weren’t convinced.
For them, it was all about the bottom line, and retailing at around £5K ($7.5K at that time), they believed the swings were luxury items not worth their personal time and investment. The fact that the princess of Liechtenstein was a customer cut no ice—presumably this proved to them it was a niche item.

Lucky for us, Myburgh was happy to disagree. His artistry and expertise is irrepressible, and the Mood Swing’s days on UK telly were not over. ITV’s “Love Your Garden,” shown in June 2015 featured the swings, both inside and outside, as part of an inspirational garden furniture feature. Other pieces of copper furniture have gone on to internet fame.

And if it’s inspiration you’re after, British inspirational retail expert and TV shopping guru Mary Portas was seen swinging on Ostara in her Channel 4 “Mary Portas: Personal Shopper” series. Given that Portas is considered to be an influential guide to what to buy, (she also heads up Channel 4’s TV series “What Britain Buys”) this was some coup for Myburgh and his swings.


“Nature and its subtleties have always been my design program. But opulence and luxury offer the theater that I love to live with. Copper is a wonderful medium to merge these two desires,” said Myburgh.
Born in Durban, South Africa, Myburgh completed his national service then left on his voyage of discovery:
“My travels have taken me all over the world. From the jungles of Guatemala to the deserts of Egypt,” he said. “It is these places and these experiences that help me see the world as I see it now.”

In 1997 he arrived in London. Drawn to working with copper, which he believes like him, is very adaptable, he began to explore large scale metal work. A year later, in partnership with Caroline Fletcher (his future wife), Myburgh Designs launched the Mood Swing collection.
“Each Myburgh design blends high-end sculptural originality with lasting functionality, inviting you to create and enjoy your own personal paradise. Imaginatively designed garden swing seats are crafted using luxurious organic materials that mellow beautifully with age,” according to the Myburgh Design brochure.


Myburgh was warned on Dragon’s Den that “artistic talent should stay with you—for all your talents you’ll drive people mad who go into business with you.”
Well, happily it doesn’t seem to have put him off and his Mood Swing collection is still going strong and rocking the world.

The post Sculptural Organic Copper Swings first appeared on Dornob.

The post FLOAT: Minimalist Mobile Kitchen Made of Copper and Wood first appeared on Dornob.

Feel like a diabolical villain pulling a wall-mounted lever – not to set off some explosive chain of events, but to make yourself a dainty little cup of espresso. The sleek copper and birch Streitman ES3 Espresso Machine uses a rarely-seen Italian technique developed in the 1950s to produce the perfect brew.

Pulling the lever forces hot water through the ground coffee with a piston, resulting in a single creamy cup of espresso. A dual-spout is available for multiple cups. The open boiler holds up to 12 ounces of water, and the machine also comes with three filter baskets, a custom tamper and an anti-dust lid.

The manual action enables the user to be a more active part in the espresso-making process, giving you more control over the end result. The ES3 is handmade in the Netherlands, produced in small batches. That level of quality definitely comes at a price, with the unit retailing for $1,700.

Strietman also recently released the CT2 model, “the espresso machine in its purest form. With centerpiece industrial design and silent operation, the CT2 celebrates its simplicity, trusting the user with full manual control of every extraction.”

About Strietman

“The machines I like the most are always those with a human element. A physicality to their operation, a robustness to their mechanism, and an infinite nuance to their output. I saw this in the first vintage Italian espresso machines I encountered. Instead of dials and indicators and noisy electronic pumps, there was just a single lever. And the irresistible urge to pull it.”

“That incredible purity of purpose has inspired every espresso machine I’ve created. A technology that’s made visible, touchable. That neither holds your hand nor punishes you for experimentation. A ritual that becomes an artform, driven by the knowledge that the next cup will be better than the last.”

The post The Modern Espresso Machine in its Purest Form first appeared on Dornob.

Living in the midst of a breathtaking landscape can pose a problem for those who want to live there. Should they build homes that will possibly change the look of the area, or should they try to blend in as much as possible? For this incredible house in Joshua Tree, California, the choice was the latter.

The home was conceived and built by architect Ken Kellogg. Construction began in 1988 and did not finish until 1993 – a testament to the thought and care put into the structure’s shape, materials, and impact on the surrounding environment.

Using concrete, glass, copper, and steel, the home blends in beautifully with its surroundings. It looks like an organic element, something that grew spontaneously from the rocky landscape.

The Joshua Tree residence looks at once both gentle and rugged. Its tough but nature-inspired exterior is inviting, but secluded enough to make residents feel protected and surrounded by nature.

The interior largely contrasts with the exterior, displaying a warm yet modern aesthetic. Otherworldly light fixtures hang above a table reminiscent of a centipede. A magnificent spiral defines the shape of much of the living area.

The home’s interior also includes plenty of features that connect it to its exterior. A stone hearth and copper chimney look like they would be right at home in the surrounding landscape.

Curves, natural light, earth tones, and plenty of stone details make the interior cozy, livable, and definitely drool-worthy. At the time of publication, this stunning home is up for sale for a cool $3 million (US).

The post Breathtaking Desert Home Blends Perfectly With Landscape first appeared on Dornob.

Forget the fantastic nature of its construction for a moment and simply admire the intrinsic beauty of this staircase as an object in and of itself.

Next, though, feel free to marvel at how it was made – twelve thousand perforations were created using a CNC water jet machine, a device that concentrates high-speed liquid mixed with an abrasive substance to slice through metal or granite. This approach is particularly useful when dealing with a material that might melt or deform using normal laser-cutting techniques.

Architects Sergey Mishin and Katya Larina of Studio Mishin teamed up with Daniel Llofriu Pou and Alberto Arguimbau of Arup to build a beautifully illuminated, perforated copper staircase for Michin’s new Villa Mallorca.

Spanning over three floors, the project required more than 2,000 square feet of composite panel, constructed from a combination of structural timber and treated copper. The resulting staircase is a both centerpiece within the finished interior, providing playful contrast against walls of gray stone and concrete, and a point of connection, filtering light to create amazing patterns on these same surfaces on various levels.

“Designed by Studio Mishin, the architect´s vision was to build an imposing perforated copper staircase at the heart of the building. The structure spans three floors and creates a visual link to the perforated copper panels throughout the interior and exterior of the building.”

“Arup was commissioned to complete this vision and deliver the specialist advice needed to finish the detailed design, engineering and construction of this unique proposal; as well as to develop a lighting design concept.”

“The design of the structure is based on a limited set of panel types and geometries installed in such a way that the connections are barely visible. At an early stage, Arup noticed the existing wall lighting would not be sufficient and so proposed a new approach to provide both functional and decorative lighting design.”

“The use of backlighting with specially integrated fibre optics accentuates the perforations of the composite panels, and dramatic lighting from above reveals the texture and detail of the copper and laminated wood. The result is a clad with almost 200m² of composite panel, including treated copper, bonded and structural timber with approximately 12,000 perforations made by a CNC water jet cutter.”

Get more behind-the-scenes info on the making of this staircase from Arup.

The post Geometric Perforated Copper Staircase first appeared on Dornob.

Cables, cords and connections are elements that will appear in a final design, like them or not. Pretty architectural and interior drawings that ignore these essentials are misleading at best, and dishonest at worst. Even worse: it is these poor-fitting parts that stand out the most at the end of the day. Dubbed Light Forest by Ontwerpduo, this series of ceiling lamps addresses the problem head on

 Playful branch-like coated-aluminum housing bends, twists and folds open like a plant to hold bulbs exactly where desired within a space. A light-finished variant was created as a single-colored gesture, while a copper interior provides a burst of shiny contrast in another version.

The advantages of this approach are multiple. First, the result is design-driven from start to finish – the power-providing system is not an afterthought. Second, the system is flexible – it lets you place fixtures according to the needs of a layout, rather than on a fixed plan. Third, it can be installed after-the-fact, added to an existing room as a layer on top of a finished or dropped ceiling. There’s also a wall-mounted version.

More from the designers

“Light Forest is a highly adaptable wall and ceiling lamp system that can be configured in multiple ways, and which can vary in expression from organic and whimsical, to geometric and austere. Light Forest comes in two versions: a ceiling option which can be assembled in four different combinations, and a wall version that can be assembled in four combinations.”

“Its branches are made from extruded aluminium tubes — strong and light — and the lampshades or flowers are spun from copper or brass, which lends a warm glow to the light source. The entire system is coated with a matte lacquer, giving it an aesthetic that can be both industrial and organic, both austere and whimsical, depending on its configuration.”

The post Ceiling Lamps Stretch Across the Room Like Mechanical Vines first appeared on Dornob.

As impressive as a metal sculpture and stylish as the steps of some private submarine, this beautiful stairway by Italian manufacturer Sandrini Scale is as much a work of art as it is of design. Looking up or down, the effect is a series of spirals within one another – smooth railing, then edged steps, then smooth again at the curved structural core and edged where the ends of the treads pierce the shaft.

The spiral staircase design comes in stainless steel as well as bronze, brass or copper, an optional gold or silver leaf finish, brushed or polished look, or what might be the best of the bunch: a weathered and rusted Corten steel look that would work well for an urban loft, which in turn seems like the perfect place to install one of these staircases.

“The staircase plays a fundamental role in the aesthetic balance of a house: it is, in fact, an architectural element that connects different environments and must therefore represent a transition also on an external level. To achieve this result in the best way it is necessary to carefully study the environments themselves and develop a tailor-made project that takes into account the spatial and aesthetic needs as well as the preferences and tastes of the inhabitants.”

“Those who, like Sandrini Scale, follow a philosophy of craftsmanship, consider each work performed original, with its own history and characteristics. The commitment and professionalism that shape it lead to excellent qualitative and aesthetic results, worthy of a true work of art.”

Still not sold on the solid-metal option? Sandrini Scale also has an assortment of cool contemporary cases with all of those minimalist touches for a modern home interior: floating glass or wood treads, straight-cut metal rails and so forth, though none quite so unique as the Etika described in the images above.

“Sandrini Scale has been designing and manufacturing staircases for interior and exterior furnishings since 1972. Active throughout Northern Italy, the company provides design and stylistic, technical and architectural consultancy services, construction and installation of customized interior and exterior staircases.”

The post Sculptural Spiraling Helical Stairs by Sandrini Scale first appeared on Dornob.