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FIREORB STORY

The antidote to the typical metal firebox covered in drywall, the FireOrb is a UL listed, suspended steel fixture that rotates 360 degrees. The FireOrb is fabricated by spinning steel into a pure, CAD goverened form. The FireOrb comes equipped with a view-protecting steel mesh screen, and may be optionally finished in stainless steel. Per FireOrb designer Doug Garofalo-

"WHAT WAS THE INSPIRATION FOR THE FIREORB? I was in Italy, in one of my favorite houses in the world, and there was a fireplace with the back made out of glass. Through the fireplace you can see the hills and valleys beyond. The impression you have is - fire floating in the landscape. That made me want to design some kind of floating fore for a house I was working on.

WHAT WAS THE RESULTING DESIGN? The Fireorb is a suspended hearth with a 360˚ rotation field. It's fabricated by spinning steel according to a cad-governed form. I think the slim shape is contemporary and pure in concept but very organic at the same time. It is built to hang simply from the ceiling.

WHO ARE THE IDEAL OWNERS OF A FIREORB? People who care how things look. People who appreciate the leap of imagination. People who want a distinctive, contemporary warmth in their home.

How do you use the Fireorb in plan? The Fireorb can be at the heart of any space - living room, bedroom, den, kitchen, greatroom. I like that it's a fire people can actually gather around. This kind of fire has deep echoes in the history of human culture. It creates a social space. It lets the fire be central again.

HOW DOES FIREORB COMPARE TO OTHER FIREPLACES AVAILABLE? I'm frustrate by the narrowness of the offerings in the US right now. Basically what you have is a hum-drum metal box that you're supposed to cover with drywall and slap a piece of marble on. Fireorb frees the hearth to float in the room exactly where the architect or design wants it."

with Garofalo Architects

Role

PRODUCT DESIGN RESEARCH & DOCUMENTATION

Date

2002

Category

PRODUCT DESIGN