FORGING AHEAD
Part six of a series featuring New Zealanders unlocking the potential of metal, brought to you by the American Express Platinum Card — now made of metal.
Architects and designers are drawn to the strength of metals, inside and out.
S ince piercing the Manhattan skyline with its stainless-steel spire, impossibly beautiful sunburst motifs, and a radiating crown of terraced arches, the Chrysler Building has wowed a century of architects and artists, drawn by the seemingly unending potential of metal to create and inspire, far beyond its mechanical strength. Enduring, bold and flexible, metal is the evergreen fabric of architecture, art and design.
Denoting strength and endurance, metal has a commanding presence. Unsurprising then that a politician of steely determination and outwardly robust character, earned the name ‘The Iron Lady’, and a technical, experimental and intense music genre is given the name Heavy Metal. But past its long-standing reputation for strength for building structure, metal is more and more being recognised by designers for its innate beauty. The opportunity it presents to create, explore and experiment is apparent in cool New Zealand homes.
Metal’s flexibility, allowing unusual shapes in architecture has been demonstrated by architects like Frank Gehry, who created fluid buildings both beautiful and strong. His swirling complex Guggenheim Museum Bilbao, sheathed in 42,875 panels of brilliant rippling and folding titanium, is one example. Another, his Walt Disney Concert Hall, clad in stainless steel in angled forms and curvature symbolised the movement of music and the “ebb and flow of life in Los Angeles.”
Beyond cladding, all varieties of metal are being applied to create remarkable interior finishes. Auckland company Powersurge have garnered a following of designers and architects who are integrating metal embellishments and accents into their work.
Powersurge’s director Andrea Harradine explains, “Historically the use of various metals within residential projects was predominantly used for structural elements. Over the past decade the focus has shifted to creating bespoke metal statement pieces that showcase the natural qualities of the raw material. Brass has been particularly popular.”
Harradine adds that the unique qualities within each metal allow for immense versatility without compromising on strength and durability. Speaking to the multiplicity of metal, Harradine says, “The scope of finishes we are able to achieve is also incredibly wide which offers industry professionals the ability to seamlessly pair or match metal with or alongside other materials. People are often surprised with what can be achieved with metal. Brass, in particular is quite soft, which allows for some incredible and very sculptural outcomes.”
Used in both traditional and modern design, Harradine says, “Brass and steel are timeless and durable materials so adding accent pieces to the home will bode well over the years as both will stand the test of time. Along with its hard-wearing nature, it is also incredibly elegant and when handled by craftsmen the possibilities of what can be created are endless.”
Those favouring a reductionist approach often decide on metal accents, they stand out without being over the top or over designed. She adds, “More and more clients are opting to create screens, pivoting doors, integrated shelving and even whole kitchens from brass and steel.”
Like children of the same enviably talented family, each brimming with their own personality, character and potential- varying metals are being explored by modern architects and designers, in particular for their visual effectiveness. From cultivating rust for an aged patina, polishing to a high shine or bronzing for a warm finish. “As cladding, metal is impervious to fire and weather, its durable and it will last. An active surface like copper or zinc will take on the effects of the environment, giving the building a powerful connection to its place,” cites American architect Greg Faulkner, notable for his use of various metals in his design.
Ark Studio’s Ron Kumar says the use of steel was critical in fulfilling his brief for an Auckland house that recently won the Steel Construction NZ Residential Award.
Kumar says structural steel made the most of a limited site and a brief to maximise every inch. Bold, glass filled steel gables and roofing asserted the home firmly on its restricted site. Kumar adds steel was used throughout, including the interior. “The external and internal balustrades were made from steel, our brief was to deliver something bold, the use of steel was crucial to this,” he says.
Kumar adds, “More and more clients are asking for steel, and not just structural, as internal feature points- it’s enduring and consistent. You don’t get the bowing or cutting you get with timber. It’s solid and beautiful.”
Metal’s seamless integration with glass, timber, stone and other materials, and its diverse effectiveness-visually and structurally will unquestionably ensure its position in art and architecture for centuries ahead.