STAITHS I
Shelving Unit
A shelving unit in patinated steel, inspired by the structures of Victorian industrial relics in the River Tyne. Hand crafted in the North to order. Custom sizes and finishes are available. Can be produced modularly, or as a single piece.
Dimensions:
180cm (L) x 35cm (W) x 180cm (H) as shown
Can be produced to specific dimensions
Can be modularised
Finishes
Blackened Steel
Stainless Steel
Aluminium
Bronze
Brass (shelves only)
Download Tear Sheet
Download Brochure
Made to order in 10 — 12 weeks
THE STAITHS STORY
River Tyne, Gateshead, 2014
Harking back to a bygone age of industrial might, the Dunston Staiths now doze in the Tyne like a fragile skeleton, reminiscing over times of coal and steam. Although now antiquated and obsolete, the graceful, sweeping curve of these regimented timber stakes brings true grounding to an area in the midst of rapid regeneration.
Opened in 1893 the Staiths operated for over 85 years and aided the momentum of the industrial revolution.
For generations coal was drawn along railway lines perched atop of these wooden structures. An unrelenting supply of the black mineral pumped along metal arteries, from the coalfields of North Durham to the Keels of the Tyne, before heading on to fuel a hungry empire.
DRAWING INSPIRATION FROM FORM
Drawing inspiration from such monumental structures, a visual language is developed which is exclusively appropriate for this corner of the world.
Deconstructing the form creates a working module consisting of two distinct elements - the rail lines and the timber trusses. Through reinterpretation of this module an identity begins to evolve.
REFINEMENT
Refining the module, a rich, graphical language is created, a Staiths Identity. Modulation and repetition references the original structures.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT & REFLECTION
The Staiths is an ageing form in constant flux. Exposed and battered it unashamedly bear the scars of time. The Staiths Identity must embrace the damage and decay that has created such character. The final act is one of destruction, cutting away modules to reference the fires which have ravaged this icon.
Staiths with integrated cabinetry, blackened steel