Victorian Flatpack Architectural Fire Feature (Propane)

The Flatpack Architectural Fire Feature Story

The Victorian Flatpack Fire Feature is the first in a new line of architecturally inspired designs. The interior of the Fire Feature glows a warm orange while the exterior is backlit in silhouette. The sunburst of rays casts lively and beautiful shadows projected by dancing flames. This play of light and shadow, positive and negative space and projected imagery is reminiscent of another Victorian classic, the magic lantern. Even when not in use, the Fire Feature functions as gorgeous outdoor sculpture, harnessing the sun's passing to craft intricate shadows than slowly shift like the shadow of a sundial.

Like my Sculptural Firebowls, The Flat Pack Architectural Fire Feature is first and foremost a beautiful sculpture designed to interact with light and shadow. But it is also a new direction— unlike the standard rust patina of my recycled work, Flatpack Fire Features are laser cut from heavy-duty stainless steel that retains its finish and will never stain decks, patios or stonework. The shine of the surface allows more reflection of the flames and makes the fire feel even more present. Flat Pack Architectural Fire Features will last many generations as the thick stainless steel is resistant to corrosion, making them the perfect fire feature for ocean air and coastal outdoor living.

The Flatpack Fire Feature assembles easily with no tools or hardware and can be up and running in minutes with its plug and play gas system. Installation, dismantling, moving or storage are equally simple and yet the clever interlocking design makes the Fire Feature exceptionally stable, easily passing the most rigorous tests. Once assembled, there is no seam or indication that the Fire Feature is not a solid piece. The design has been thoroughly tested to insure that it can be safely used on wood or Trex decks without concern for combustion. The top of the Fire Feature has a beveled edge and slightly rounded corners.

I've always loved architecture, and because these Fire Features are an extension of the home, I was inspired to base the first designs on architectural motifs from different styles and periods. The current design is based on Victorian ironwork and future designs will reference other architectural motifs— Art Deco, Modernist, Prairie Style, and so on. I want to create an entire line of designs which will harmonize with the architectural style of homes. Eventually there will be designs that fit any period home. I would also like to create narrative panels and designs based on forms from natural history.

Each Flatpack Fire Feature is signed by the artist on an engraved stainless steel plate. A signed and numbered Certificate of Authenticity is mailed separately.

The Origin Story of the Flatpack Architectural Fire Feature

The Flat Pack Architectural Fire Feature is the result of over a year of design, testing, prototyping and collaboration.

As an artist, I wanted to expand on what I was capable of creating on my own and put the tools of industry to the task of creating beauty. I believe a factory is like a symphony orchestra, a collection of skilled people with specialized tools who can bring great art into being if you give them a plan. Just as a composer of classical music creates art that requires specialists to bring it to life, I wanted to leverage skills and tools to create more intricate, detailed sculpture.

There were a number of design constraints I wanted to solve with the new design:

• I can only produce so many hand-cut sculptures a year. I wanted to increase production while increasing quality.
• Flat pack shipping is more economical and more ecologically sound.
• Assembly had to be simple and quick, with no tools or hardware needed.
• All the gas fittings are built-in, plug and play, safe, and tested by experts on each sculpture. I'm an artist, so I needed engineers.
• Built-in gas features are more economical than retro-fitting my existing Sculptural Firebowls.
• Laser cutting allows the designs to be far more intricate, opening up new design possibilities.
• Assembly of the sculptures is made by hand in America using quality American labor, materials and components.
• I wanted to use new materials to create sculpture that could last hundreds or thousands of years.
• The initial design needed to solve all these problems in a way that could be re-used to create new works.

I built a number of prototypes to experiment with the best way to create a seamless looking design that could ship flat and assemble easily. All of these were done in steel, by hand— I've always drawn with a pen not pencil, and I always make prototypes in the actual material rather than CAD or paper mockups. I feel that you learn better when exposed to the real constraints of a project. But also, I'm just a lot better at sculpting steel than I am at mechanical drawing. In the end, the final design didn't reveal itself until I was in a meeting with the patent attorney, trying to explain the mechanics of assembly to him.

To insure safety and functionality, I sent my final prototype to an engineering consultant who co-authored the current regulatory code for gas fire features, and worked with him to insure that all safety standards are met. He produced the CAD files for the factory based on our revised prototype, while I provided the hand drawn artwork for the cutouts. To insure the highest quality of the finished sculptures, we chose an American facility in New Hampshire that the engineer has worked with for many years.

Only FOUR in stock. The Victorian Flatpack Architectural Fire Feature is discontinued.