Hasta La Ideas

Local designers from Toronto, Canada have teamed up to produce Heavy Metal, a collection of works that “explore the formal properties of cast metal in design.” The result is nine new objects, ranging from domestic products to conceptual explorations. All pieces seem to hearken back to an artist-craftsman tradition, which has much significance in a maker-driven, discovery-based design process.

Chromoly’s “New and Improved,” a highlight of the show, infills segments of existing furniture pieces to, well, make them new again. Though not the first one to devise infills or prosthetics as furniture repair mechanisms, the use of cast metal lends a permanent feel to the patchwork.

Also pictured are Joy Charbonneau and Ed Zec’s Great Lakes, which reveal the topography of the bottom of each body of water, upturned on the table, in, we’re guessing, silver. Highly detailed, this piece is yet another example of blending digital fabrication methods with old-school techniques like casting, capturing the best of both worlds.

There’s much more to see, so click through to the other pieces after the jump, and if you’re in Toronto, be sure to stop by the gallery. Find in-process photos of each piece at the show’s website.

Heavy Metal: New Cast Objects
January 20th-30th
Paul Petro Special Projects Space
Toronto, Canada

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