Inspiration through material
Arm chair, proportions of stone, Sisan Lee • © Sisan Lee
Long associated with industrial production and an aseptic, almost clinical aesthetic, the use of metal is seeing a new golden age under the impetus of designers with a passion for craftsmanship who are interpreting it in original forms.
Golden Age, Copper Age, Bronze Age and Iron Age… It wasn’t until the 19th century that the conversion of cast iron into steel made large-scale production easier. Ubiquitous in industry and construction, by virtue of its hardness, strength and elasticity, steel and its derivatives have proved to be formidable allies in everyday life, even contributing to the household equipment boom. A symbol of modernity for some, decried for its coldness and sharp-edged profiles by others, metal never leaves people indifferent. In recent years, it has been at the forefront of the design scene, driven by a generation of talented designers who have seized on its ornamental power.
A FUSION WITH NATURE
As the embodiment of this revival, designer Sisan Lee combines industrial standards with the poetry of nature. On the jury of the Rising Talent Awards organised by Maison&Objet in January 2025, this young Korean has been working with metal since he launched his business in 2019.
He runs a design studio and interior architecture agency – Studio Practice – and is in demand from fashion brands including Rimowa and Rains.
Educated at the prestigious Konkuk University in South Korea, Sisan Lee drew his inspiration from the mountainous region of Chungju, a theatre of greenery rich in Palaeolithic finds. It was there that he began collecting stones for his studies, the starting point for modelling the Proportions of Stones collection. Each piece – steel table, chair and shelves – has been calibrated to the nearest millimetre to incorporate these fragments of nature.
The metal is cut with the utmost precision thanks to laser technology. For complex shapes, Sisan Lee uses foundry techniques, in particular sand casting. These single-use moulds, in which the behaviour of the material is more unpredictable and subject to imperfections, charge his creations with greater emotion. His aluminium series Neo Primitive illustrates this fusion between nature and artefact, with chairs cast in the imprint of actual branches and tree trunks.
SCULPTORS OF SPACE
“Collection design is booming, focusing on the adoption of techniques and materials rooted in the fine arts tradition. Just like bronze casting, emblematic of sculpture, which is finding new applications in design,” explains Belgian designer Ben Storms. In his opinion, this trend, which began a decade ago with pioneers such as Studio Job and Atelier Van Lieshout, blends art and design with no boundaries. His latest bronze mural, created from a fragment of stone selected for its texture and imperfections, is a true reflection of this. “Playing with perception, transmuting materials, transforming stone into bronze – it’s an alchemist’s trick,” he confides. Placed on a wall, this massive work defies the laws of gravity, exuding a primitive force.
With a similarly sculptural approach, the Greek-American duo Voukenas Petrides, represented by Galerie Fumi, have set themselves apart with a monumental work: a 23-metre bar for the Michelin-starred restaurant Delta in the Stavros Niarchos Foundation cultural centre, designed by Renzo Piano in Athens. This XXL structure, with its flowing curves, breathes a dynamic sense of movement into the space, embracing the view of the Aegean Sea, and is the high point of the architectural project by Kois Associated Architects. Andreas Voukenas and Steven Petrides are currently continuing their exploration of furniture, including ceiling lights and chairs made from polished bronze or with black patina, which have found their way into the precious showcases designed by Peter Marino for Chanel.
BUBBLING FLUID
Crumpled like fabric, undulating like a wave, or shining like the reflection of the sun, metal magnetises our interiors. The son of a stonemason, Ben Storms has immersed himself in the world of raw materials, nurturing a fascination for their transformation. The result is creations that redefine the contours of materiality: can a dense, heavy material give the illusion of weightlessness? Can a rigid material like metal or stone reveal an unsuspected softness?
By going against convention, materials are transformed and plunge us into a troubling interplay of perception and reality.
Ben Storms recently developed four counters for the Bellerose shops in Paris. As if crushed under the weight of a marble top, their shiny stainless steel pedestals, welded and compressed, simultaneously distort and reflect the surrounding spaces. These creations are a continuation of his In Hale series, ’metal cushions’ that act as fabulous display cases, enhancing the accessories of leather goods manufacturer Delvaux.
A BACKDROP FOR REFLECTION
Under the guidance of the designers, drawing and 3D scanning, innovative assembly techniques and unexpected finishes blend harmoniously with the ancestral practices of master craftsmen, revealing the full wealth of possibilities offered by metal. ”Our approach combines traditional craftsmanship with modern technology, such as the use of hydroforming or high-pressure air injection to create 3D volumes, and hand tools to work with textures,” comments Indian design duo Nitush & Aroosh.
“Metal has gone from being a purely structural element to a medium for artistic expression. Its versatility makes it an essential material for contemporary design. Each piece becomes a backdrop for reflection – in both the literal and metaphorical sense of the word.” With hundreds of creations to their credit, Nitush & Aroosh reinterpret the hypnotic interplay of light and shadow, the fluidity of water, the dance of flames or the strata of geological formations, opening up infinite perspectives. While stainless steel remains their favourite material, they enhance it with textiles, blown glass and alabaster, celebrating a whole range of expertise.
FOLDS AND COLOURS
A graduate of the Design Academy in Eindhoven, Paul Coenen discovered the potential of metal through the Japanese art of assembly without fastening. The Dutch designer follows a reverse creative process, where the material and its shaping possibilities guide the final design, without premeditated design. His early experiments inspired the Tension shelving collection shown at the Scène Ouverte gallery during PAD Paris. Using models and tests on paper, he succeeded in making a range of chairs and side tables from a single sheet of cut and folded stainless steel: the Cambrures series.
Paul Coenen favours stainless steel for its purity and durability. Easy to maintain, the material can be brushed or sanded and stands on its own. Recently, however, he has broadened his field of exploration to include metal colouring, in collaboration with the industrial company BWB Surface Technology. Using a manual anodising process, he wraps a sheet of aluminium in packaging to allow the pigments to seep along the folds, creating a singular pattern reminiscent of marbled paper. Swept along by this flood of inventiveness, metal still has the ability to move us… •
