Dezeen Showroom: Australian studio Gibson Karlo has created an all-metal iteration of its Twill chair for furniture brand Design By Them, maintaining the seat's plasticine-like aesthetic.

Designers Sarah Gibson and Nicholas Karlovasitis of Gibson Karlo looked to the nostalgic appearance of a fresh pack of plasticine when designing the original timber version of the chair, which launched in 2022.

The new all-aluminium iteration shares the visual language and stackability of its wooden forerunner, while its uncoated, hand-burnished raw aluminium finish gives it added dimension.

The designers envisage inevitable marks and scratches inflicted during day-to-day use to become part of the finish over time, gradually developing a natural and distinctive patina.

The lack of a top coat means that the surface cannot be chipped or scratched through, allowing the chair to be easily maintained and restored.

"As industrial designers, we got super geeky detailing the metal version of Twill to match the timber version," said Gibson Karlo.

"There are custom extrusions in places you wouldn't expect, and introducing metal also opened up a new world of colour, functionality and playfulness – the range was inspired by plasticine strips, after all."

Design By Them used aluminium containing a minimum of 30 per cent recycled content for the chairs, which are produced in a 100 per cent solar-powered facility and carry a five-year warranty.

Product details:

Product: Metal Twill
Designer: Gibson Karlo
Brand: Design By Them
Contact: [email protected]

Materials:  aluminium (minimum 30 per cent recycled content)
Colours/finishes: burnished aluminium, chocolate brown, rust red, black, silk grey, pale eucalypt, soft white – all powder coated
Dimensions: 546 x 496 x 711 millimetres (seat height 440 millimetres)

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