Keith Williams first considered how to design an ironmongery range of pull handles and levers whilst working on the new project for Athlone Civic Centre in Ireland. The joy of that project was that the client, Athlone Town Council, asked the practice to design so many aspects, from the urban masterpIan, the building itself, the public spaces, the external seating and the internal door furniture.
The Parallel Range was developed around a pair of square section parallel stainless steel bars of varying dimension according to application. The inspiration for its design was drawn from the architecture of the Civic Centre, its linearity, the ribbed principal facade and the trabeated concrete soffits to the council chamber.
A motif of the steel bar wrapping back on itself through 180 degrees was created to make a scalable module which could form the lever furniture, the ends of the pull handles and when downscaled could also form a single coat hook.
The concepts were prototyped with specialist ironmongery manufacturer Izé Ltd in the UK and following many physical refinements, the final design and fabrication specification was arrived at. The patented range is now in production and has been installed on a number of the firm’s projects.The concepts were prototyped with specialist ironmongery manufacturer Izé Ltd in the UK and following many physical refinements, the final design and fabrication specification was arrived at.
The patented range is now in production and has been installed on a number of the firm’s projects.
