Wood and Molten Aluminum – Thinking Outside The Box

Designing furniture is an art and the selection of materials is about arts and science both. Usually we see furniture made out of only one material in order to impart uniformity and strength. However, that is ‘thinking inside the box’ and we all know where the magic happens; that’s right, it happens outside the box. Hilla Shamia is an Israeli designer who decided to see what would happen if two materials were used to make the furniture. Seems quite ordinary, right? Wrong, for the materials were in different state as well (Geek Mode On)!

The two materials used were solid wood and molten aluminum and the end result is nothing less than spectacular. The methodology involved pouring molten aluminum directly into the mold that extended from the wood. Wood was burnt by the molten aluminum and gave quite an elegant finish to the material. The liquid metal even flows into the slits and holes of the wood, imparting an impressive and artistic effect to the furniture.

Creating amazing combinations of materials for furniture design seems to be a challenge these days. Hilla Shamia’s knack to innovate caused her to combine two materials in two different matter states. The result are these fantastic pieces that combine wood and aluminum with a process that goes beyond just joining raw materials together. You can check out the pictures of the furniture created via this methodology below. 

All images are from © Hilla Shamia.