70
"OF LATE YEARS CARVING HAS GONE OUT OF
FASHION. THE WORK IS NECESSARILY SLOW
AND REQUIRES SUBSTANTIAL SKILL, MAKING
THE WORKS EXPENSIVE. OTHER AND CHEAPER
METHODS OF DECORATION HAVE DRIVEN CARVING
FROM ITS FORMER PLACE. MACHINE WORK HAS
MUCH TO ANSWER FOR, AND THE ENDEAVOUR
TO POPULARISE THE CRAFT BY MEANS OF THE
VILLAGE CLASS HAS NOT ALWAYS ACHIEVED
ITS OWN END.”
The Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition, 20th Century.
GROËL’S DESIGN
This common belief is leading to the gradual disappearance
of the foundations of design and the individual artist. At
Groël we disproved this statement by preserving wood carving
heritage with every single one of our designs.
Being at the top of trends and market’s needs does not necessarily
mean forgetting about where we come from. We are the first
ones to be using the latest technology to create the finest
products, nonetheless, we believe in the expertise and essence
of tradition as the basis of any artform. The warmth, passion
and culture that is endowed with a handcrafted work, can not
be transmitted through any automated process. At the end of
the day, wood carving is one of the oldest arts of humankind
and should therefore be valued as such.
This Italian family of master craftsmen has been collaborating
with Groël in the materialisation of design concepts for 25
years. Their beginnings as woodcarvers date back to the start
of the 20th century, where their great grandparents initiated
this career. Side by side, this family and Groël invest in detail
and in the warm qualities of tradition to create the most
ergonomic product.
Is there really any better way of giving birth to a door
handle design than with your own hands? A door handle is
not an ordinary object, it’s the harmonious connection
between your hands and home.
This phase of idea materialisation is where we give shape to
our initial sketch. By visualising the first concept in 3D and
manipulating it with this wooden texture, we notice every
aspect to be improved. At this point, we usually bring back
our prototype to the studio where it gets seen by the whole
team, and any feedback is given. For the following process,
the modifications on the design are given to the woodcarver
and accordingly applied on the prototype. We directly achieve
the final version, and if successful, the prototype travels onto
the next phase: mould generation.
812. Roby lever handle
