Stainless street or powdercoated furniture was never going to be enough for this prestigious apartment building located at Sydneys dress circle. In keeping with East Cirular Precinct, a DARK BRONZE furniture setting was achieved by brass-plated stainless welded frames then aged to a dark chocolate bronze patina. Over time the finish will, and has already, changed naturally as if they are made of bronze in contact with salt adjacent to Sydney Habour.
The option to use brass to fabricate was deems too expensive, too diffiult for joining and too soft a metal. In order to achivev the strength of stainless, a comparible (difficult to source) brass profile woudl need to be 2 times thicker, increasing the weight and cost and more pressure on any brass joins (welded or braised).
Bronze is a stronger metal than brass however custom extrusions are difficult & expensive to source and then the issue of joining becomes diffifult with the same alloy/ colour.
The configuration, size and weight of these lounge and bench frames certainly pushed electroplating capacities to the limit as the distribution of current around the items and profiles had to be controlled in order to allow a consistent deposit of nickel and then brass metal onto the stainelss. At the same time drainage had to be discreet and fast to allow the flow of solutions in aroudn and out as quicly as possible wihtout any trapping.
What a result which will stand the tests and prestige of time. Oh and you shoudl see this lit up at night!
