The Alloy Consoles
Materiality is a defining element in product design, shaping consumers' sensory experience and emotional connection with a product based on the materials used.
The name "Alloy Console" reflects my vision to merge the rigidity of metal with the warmth and natural quality of wood. Through a focused design process, I refined the original concept into what you see here, addressing various challenges while preserving the core elements: modularity, rebuildability, and a design that sparks conversation.
"Subtraction is my favourite form of materialism. It’s about using the minimum materials for maximum effect." — Philippe Starck
Materials: Sheet Aluminium, Poplar Plywood
Dimensions: 550mm (H) X 460mm (W) X 460mm (L) /unit
Modularity
This design feature provides significant benefits that enhance both functionality and user appeal. It offers customization and flexibility, allowing users to adapt layouts to suit various needs, making it especially valuable for compact or unique spaces. Modularity is also cost-effective, as it provides the customer flexibility through trying singular pieces and can gradually expand their setups rather than purchasing everything at once — a practical approach for those furnishing spaces over time. Additionally, it encourages creativity by inviting users to experiment with different configurations, fostering a more interactive and satisfying relationship with the Alloy Consoles.
Rebuildability
The Alloy Consoles incorporates hardware that can be disassembled. This reduces transportation expenses and volume, which helps minimise carbon footprints, by making the unit or units easier to transport, assemble, and remodel. This adaptability also contributes to sustainability, as individual broken parts can be easily replaced due to lengthy usage rather than replacing the whole unit, reducing waste and aligning with eco-friendly practices.
Conversations
The metal embodies humanity's capacity for development, perseverance, and adaptation and stands for modernism, assurance, and longevity. Wood's warmth and organic grain signify our relationship to the world of nature, growth, and magnificence. The harmony between tradition and progress, toughness and sensitivity, and the synthetic and raw are expressed by metal and wood together. The essence of humanity's multifaceted behaviour and our desire to balance modernity with the natural world is encapsulated in the Alloy Consoles.