Matter Made - An exploration of material expressions
Category: Furniture
Competitions: Home Competition 2025
Matter made is a sculptural dialogue between hand, material, and form. Through an open, tactile process, two stools emerged - one in warm, living wood, the other in raw, weighty cast iron. Each piece is a response to the material’s own voice, shaped not by control, but by curiosity and care. The project invites reflection on how we relate to the objects around us - how materials speak through surface, weight, and presence - and how honest expressions of matter can lead to more meaningful, lasting design. The wooden stool is shaped by the grain and softness of the material itself. The legs feature carved surface textures that echo the movement of the craftsman, adding tactile richness and a visual rhythm to the form. Contrasting inlays in ash and smoked oak are embedded in the legs - subtle interventions that celebrate the beauty of imperfection and material contrast, while referencing both craft and care. In contrast, the cast iron stool embraces mass, gravity, and the raw aesthetic of industrial production. Defined by sharp transitions and a dense, cold surface that resists touch before slowly revealing its own tactile qualities. The surface retains visible traces of the casting process: unpredictable ridges along the mold’s split serve as reminders of its formation. Rather than being removed, these marks are embraced as part of the stool’s identity - revealing the tension between precision and imperfection inherent in cast metal. The result is a form that feels both engineered and elemental. Together, the two stools highlight how different materials demand different attitudes in both making and experiencing - revealing new paths toward material-sensitive design.
