AS STRONG AS A SHIP’S HULL
SOLID BRASS COFFEE TABLE
London, England
NOVOCASTRIAN were commissioned by Taylor Howes in 2022 to create a very special coffee table.
The industrial heritage of North-East England is a key inspiration in our work. To work therefore with a client interested in ships and seafaring presented a particularly special opportunity for us. For this creation we referenced the structures of the great ships built on the rivers Tyne and Wear in the 20th century.
Cloaked in streamlined sheets of steel, a skeleton of ribs, gussets and intersections create the strength and rigidity needed to support such enormous vessels at sea. It was this ribbed structure that became the concept from which the coffee table design grew.
Hand-finished in layers of etched, sculpted and patinated solid brass, no expense was spared in creating the rich patina and textural details needed to compliment the design.
“Shining a light on the craftsmanship hidden inside the streamlined cloak of a ships hull was a concept I wanted to explore. Translating the heavily industrial and complex structures into a refined and understandable design was key. Nothing unnecessary or visually dominating, allowing the design to showcase the craftsmanship, finishing and patination work.”
Christian Cowper, Lead Designer
Progress with the double bottoms of ‘Naess Crusader’ at the North Sands shipyard, Sunderland, 19 May 1972
Sculpting in the texture to the tables top surface, inspired by the ever changing surface of the sea.
Dark brass patination
“Experimentation and sampling over several months gave us the opportunity to execute new manufacture methods and techniques. It was rewarding to create a piece where concept, experimentation, manufacturing and finishing all worked together so well.”
Marcus Rowan, Lead Metalworker
Working on the brass trim. Bespoke tooling was made to aid the repetitive forming of such thick bar stock.
Mixtures of texture and tones create complimentary levels of interest.
“Bringing in gritty organic textures and darkened patinations helped to tie the finishes to the concept and showcase the materiality and industrial qualities of the design.
The balance of tones and textures works to create a piece full of unique points of interest.”
Issy Collins, Lead Finisher
One of the many patination stages to achieve the final finish.
One of the two leg structures. Solid brass sheets are etched prior to manufacture.
Ribbed structures of propeller shaft housing.
