Architect Steven Gertner’s just-unveiled collection of hooks, shelves, and mirrors all have a single element in common: “I was looking for something that could be used to make a wide variety of objects,” he tells us.”I kept returning to the plus shape because of its natural strength and symmetry.”
All signs seemingly led Steven, a graduate of Harvard’s GSD, to focus on useful, everyday objects. Early in his career, after working for MOS Architects, he paid the rent by designing fasteners and fastener installation tools. “This was my introduction to precise machining processes, which I came to really love,” he says. Steven also grew up around hardware: “my grandparents made molded oak shelving in the 1960s, first in their Brooklyn basement and later in workshops throughout the city.” So, he notes, even if unintentionally, his own Bed-Stuy Brooklyn basement workshop, Goux Studio, is a continuation of the family business.
So far, this is a word-of-mouth venture—thank you, Jess Hinshaw of Shapeless Studio for the tip-off. Join us for a first look.
Photography by Jonathan Hökklo, courtesy of Goux Studio.
All of the items begin as detailed drawings and prototypes that Steven makes himself. His basement is where he himself does the production woodworking and assembly of each piece. The metal elements are aluminum that is precision-tooled locally.
Steven promises that all of the products can be installed with basic tools: “The clarity of the joinery and installation methods, both visible and invisible, are important aspects of the design.”
The mirrors attach to the wall at a single point: “Once installed, the small plus-shaped brackets are like little beauty marks on the mirror surface,” explains Steven, “but they’re also part of a fastener assembly that securely clamps the mirror to a mounting cleat on the reverse side.”
Take a look at our Brass Tacks stories for more ideas, including:
- Industrial Revival: Atlas Repurposes a 1920s Abandoned Factory as a Creative Hub
- 11 Wall Hooks from the Golden State
- 10 Easy Pieces: Architects’ White Paint Picks
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