Bloc Studios and NM3 Explore "Rarity" Through New Furniture Series
Combining steel with marbles that are often overlooked and underused.
Milan design collectives Bloc Studios and NM3 have joined forces to create exclusive steel and marble furniture collections, which draw upon the concept of “rarity and uniqueness”. This is explored, in part, through the choice and use of a stone named “Pietra Selva”, which – in comparison to other Carrara marble counterparts – has been underestimated.
“It has technical processing difficulties, with it being a very hard stone, and also [in terms of] commercial reasons, we can only find it in small quantities and every single piece differs in quality and coloring,” Bloc Studios explained.
Together, the two studios wanted to shed light on this material, which comes from the top of the same quarry as more recognised stones, Bardiglio and Bianco Carrara. They conceptualised a furniture series that would let the marble take centre stage while remaining minimalist and contemporary in its aesthetic.
The first series “NMBL1” combines stainless steel and stone to create moveable trolleys. A detail on the edge of the shaving sees the top row cut at a 30-degree cut. The second series “NMBL2” brings together 5 elements in hot rolled black iron and Pietra Selva: a dining table; coffee table; console; bookcase; and bench. The third series “NMBL3” is the smallest in terms of size and is formed of stools that are made from a black iron base with a jade top.
Pieces from the Bloc Studios x NM3 furniture series will be available to purchase via Bloc Studios’ website.
Elsewhere in design, Antwerp store and gallery St. Vincents has invited five designers to create five exclusive objects in celebration of its fifth birthday.
