Brooklyn Fire Place and Gate
Mar. - May 2006, Private Residence, Brooklyn, New York
4’x8’ rusted sheet metal 1/16” cnc-plasma-cut, pre-fabricated fire place element
The client requested
a fireplace to be designed for a compact, less then 8’ high space
in the top floor of a three-story apartment. The design evolved from the
standard 4’x 8’ sheet metal dimensions and the desire to create
an elegant focal point in the room. Two 1/16” sheets of steel have
been squeezed into one corner of the room, shielding off the cubic pre-fabricated
fireplace element. The shield is held in place, with a 1” shadow
gap, by a fine substructure made out of the excess metal that has been
removed from each side of the sheet. Two recessed niches have been incorporated
into the design. The niches can hold firewood and decorative objects,
or remain empty - enhancing the sculptural elegance of the façade.
The radius of the curve happens to be 16’. The angle to the walls
is within the ‘golden section’, which leads to an asymmetrical
face. The right side of the façade is more dramatically underscored
by the curve then the left.
The character of the fireplace façade relies on both the constraints
of the space and the use of appropriate materials; the sweeping tension
curve of the fireplace results from limited height of the space as well
as the strength of the metal.