konstantin grcic’s BRUT collection for magis references cast iron’s industrial uses

salone del mobile.milano 2016: konstantin grcic is named ‘best designer’ of the salone del mobile award 2016. the international award that highlights the design sector’s finest innovations that harness cutting-edge trends and consider up-to-the-minute modes of home living. 

detail of the the large rectangular table
image © designboom

the name ‘BRUT’ stands for raw and untreated — a solid piece of iron, heavy and uncompromising, but it also calls to mind the sweetness of sparkling wine, which speaks of refinement and sophistication. the word refers the manufacturing process of cast iron which konstantin grcic referenced in his collection for magis after which it is named. presented during salone del mobile 2016, the furniture 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. 

 
the ‘brut’ bench is supported by a cast iron base that recalls the structural material used for building bridges
image @ designboom

the project makes reference to cast iron’s typical industrial uses and applies its material grammar to the realm of contemporary furniture. 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. 

the ‘brut’ bench
image @ designboom

image @ designboom

the collection
image © designboom

bistrot table features a cast iron pedestal base
image © designboom

detail of the cast iron base
image © designboom

cast iron is widely known for its ornate and decorative applications
image © designboom

adjustable trestles
image © designboom

table
 

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