Tel-Aviv, Israel–based designer Itai Bar-On makes bending concrete look like a piece of cake. Free Concrete (an undisclosed mixture of concrete and other materials that make the substance more easily malleable) is the result of Bar-On graduate school project at the Industrial Design Department of the Shenkar College of Engineering Design and Art in Ramat Gan, Israel. The concrete is now available in the United States as part of Bar-On's collection for tile manufacturer Ann Sacks.
The 3D tiles, which appear as though they are being gently peeled off the surface, are recommended for feature wall applications and available in three styles: Kwa, Rectangle, Spade, and Willow. Kwa is a 15.75-inch square, while the remaining three styles measure 7.8 inches by 31.49 inches.
While the three distinct designs work harmoniously through a common medium—concrete—their shapes vary in how the concrete is manipulated. Rectangle is flat, an edge of Space is curled upwards (as in Kwa), and Willow puckers at its center. Each of the styles is offered in white, gray, and black.
Offering a variety of configurations, the tiles can also be back-lit, accentuating their 3D forms. Although the lighting installation must be done by a licensed electrician, Ann Sacks does recommend the application of LED strips to the inner edges of the tiles: two 7.8-inch strips for Willow, one 2-inch strip for Spade, and one 6-inch strip for Kwa.
The tiles are suitable for indoor applications and can be specified for high-temperature installations such as fireplace surrounds.
This article is part of a weekly series spotlighting the latest in innovative products and materials. Read more of ARCHITECT's Object of the Moment coverage here.
