Curvilinear is the newest collection of hardware originally designed by Emtek. The contemporary-style cabinet hardware launched in September to positive reception from Emtek dealers and customers of the innovative new designs. But how did Curvilinear come about? And what was the inspiration? We'd like to take you behind the scenes and reveal the process of designing and creating a new collection of hardware; Get an inside look at Curvilinear from inception to final product.
It all starts with an idea and a sketch. Emtek's chief industrial designer, William Zhang, began the creative process with a preliminary drawing. Zhang used pen/paper and the superior technology of a tablet to create the initial sketches. The medium depended on the feel of a particular part and the use of the tool that fit the kinetic connection. Whatever the drawing method, the forms created had to come from a rooted place, based on knowledge of style and architecture. “I was really looking to create a collection based on contemporary design,” Zhang said, “in doing so, I wanted the pieces to have flowing, organic lines. Contemporary is all about simplicity. I wanted to take that style and further explore developing shapes to create something truly unique.” He looked to modern architecture for inspiration and then began drawing his first designs for the collection.
Once the basic ideas were laid out, Zhang went on to create 3D models of each design. The modeling process was done on the computer with a 3D design program. This technology allowed him to view the design from all angles, rotate the view, and get a detailed 360° view. “The design process is one of constant exploration,” he said, “and creating a 3D model gives me insight into the design so I can understand the feel it creates and get a tactile feel.” With the 3D models created, additional members of the Emtek team came together to evaluate the designs and collaborate on the look of each part.
After the team settled on a collection of innovative and stylistic designs, the next step was to create plastic prototypes of each piece using a state-of-the-art 3D printer. Although the designs were agreed in digital format, the evaluation has not yet been carried out; each individual piece needed to be physically created and observed anew. “It's one thing to see it in a drawing or rendering, it's quite another to hold it in your hand,” said John Teeter, Emtek's vice president of sales. The process is done step by step and even repeated until everything is right.
In the end, Curvilinear was born. What was it about this collection that designer Zhang loved after it was created? “I love the diversity of the collection. There are a wide variety of designs for people with different tastes. You can really arrange the different pieces in many ways to create your own style. But I think what I liked the most was the asymmetry of each piece. You rarely see that in design today. The symmetry was replaced by beautiful curves; it's what makes Curvilinear so unique.”
