Brut

The starting point of this project was a specific manufacturing method: cast iron. It is one of the oldest ways of using ferrous metals. The manufacturing process has a physicality and rawness which is almost archaic. Iron foundries are heavy industries. Even though cast iron is widely known for its ornate and decorative applications, such as in Victorian-era garden furniture, the material has two distinctive characteristics: it is heavy, and it is strong. Cast iron performs well under compression, which is why it is used as a structural material for building bridges and, closer to the scale of furniture, bases for heavy machinery. It is this use of cast iron which has inspired BRUT, a collection of tables and benches. The project makes reference to cast iron’s typical industrial uses and applies its material grammar to the realm of contemporary furniture. The name stands for raw and untreated. A solid piece of iron, heavy and uncompromising. But BRUT also calls to mind the sweetness of sparkling wine, which speaks of refinement and sophistication, which is also inherent to our project. The BRUT collection consists of a large rectangular table, a height-adjustable trestle table, two round tables, a small bistro table, as well as two kinds of benches.