Behind the Object: Kit Stool
The Kit Stool by Gestalt Studios.
The aluminium stool comes flat-packed in a range of colours and was designed with ease of assembly in mind.
Concept drawings showing how the stool slots together.
The Kit Stool spent a year in prototyping and pre-production before arriving at the final design.
The Kit Stool in brushed (left) and tangerine (right).
The Kit Stool in petrol blue (left) and sage (right).
Gestalt Studios was established in 2021, by Ella Lilley-Gasteiger and Nathan Swaney as a means of testing design ideas within both the architectural and product design spaces. Nathan is a full time designer and partner, with Ella consulting as an architect whilst also holding an associate position at Monk Mackenzie. We talk to the them about the process behind the creation of their new Kit Stool.
JR: Where did the concept for the Kit Stool come from?
Gestalt Studios (GS): The design for the Kit Stool originated from the desire to create a simple range of products that could be deployed outside typical architectural commissions. While we enjoy architecture as a discipline, it can be a long process and the design solutions we create are often limited to the architectural project itself and not accessible to the general public.
JR: What did you envision for the initial design of the stool?
GS: In our pursuit of a range of products, we set ourselves a few parameters; the initial item had to be simple, relatively customisable and have the ability to be flat-packed.
Aluminium emerged as an ideal material to be used both inside and out and also meant we could produce many iterations and prototypes quickly alongside local fabricators. Using local fabricators means that each part of the kit is be hand finished to a high standard.
JR: Tell me about the prototyping phase. What was the process like?
GS: In all, the Kit Stool spent a year in prototyping and production — including multiple scale models at 1:2. This process was illuminating and allowed us the opportunity to check tolerances, available finishes and overall aesthetic. During early protoyping, we produced a stool made entirely from aluminium, without fixings or additional components for assembly — going some way toward achieving the intent of a simple, customisable and flat-packed product.
JR: Other than making the product flat-packable, was their any other intention behind this design?
GS: We felt that it was important for the owner to engage with the product and the material straight away by putting it together themselves. This gives a real ownership over the kit of parts, and transfers the agency of design from designer to the owner.
JR: What finishes is the Kit Stool available in? And what kind of spaces did you envision them being used in?
GS: We love the idea of expressing the raw aluminium, so we offer a brushed aluminium finish, however three other colours are also available, meaning it would sit well in a kid’s bedroom or a muted apartment that needs a bit of colour.
JR: What other products are on the horizon from Gestalt Studios?
GS: We’ll be prototyping the ‘family series’ shortly starting with a complimentary shoe shelf, and are also looking at a ‘commercial range’ which contains two additional pieces that lock the stool together fully once built.
We are always designing and developing ideas and this is just the first one we’ve shared as a practice. As architects and designers it can be very satisfying to see a product finished so quickly, and it’s now been very satisfying to have them in arrive in apartments and homes.
To learn more go to www.gestaltstudios.co and follow @gestaltstudios_ for updates.
