I see this set of table knives as open-ended ideas—an exploration of processes, finishes, ergonomics, and metal composites, welding stainless steel with bronze.
Florentine wrote to us: “Our brief this year is focused on community and sharing meals with friends and family. We (…) encourage you to think of them as a set made for a specific meal with specific guests, and not necessarily as multiplications of the same knife.”
I worked on the project during Christmas inspired by spending time with family. At home our most memorable family meal is breakfast. So, I created a specific knife for each us family members getting feedback from each of them.
Initially, I designed a very rigid shape. However, while working on it, I realised the imagined process didn’t make sense. Hence I decided to use this first series as an opportunity to explore and draw several extrapolable conclusions. With these insights, I could later redesign the knives with florentine based on a deeper understanding of the actual process.
As a result, I didn’t make all the knives identical—each one is unique. I’m not a professional knife maker, so I didn’t aim to match Florentine’s level of quality and consistency, as I lack the necessary infrastructure and expertise. However, my TIG welding skills allowed me to achieve some disruptive and intriguing results.
I believe in embracing the process and moving beyond the controlling attitude of designers. This approach led to a variety of knives, each showcasing different details and finishes. These can be combined in numerous ways to create several models.
This proposal aims to address the brief with an open-ended interpretation, with the hope of fostering a continuation or new collaboration.
As a designer, I strive to explore ways to improve our environment with products, services, and concepts. Through close collaborations with other creatives, artisans, and the industry, I seek to reclaim and dignify natural materials and traditional processes, integrating modern and industrial production methods to contemporize the vision of art and design with functional goods.
