BEYOND THE SHOWROOM:
PURE + FREEFORM
BY: JEN LEVISEN, EDITOR AT THE FORUM, MORTARR
SUSTAINABLY STRIKING
If custom metal design is your game, Pure + FreeForm better be your name. Because no one does it better.
The metal design studio, which specializes in bespoke finishes and cladding products for both exterior and interior applications, and is a favorite of the country’s leading A+D firms, is one of the newest subscribers to hit Mortarr’s Inspiration Feed.
Pure + FreeForm’s custom metal panels bridge the gaps between accessibility, beauty, relevance, and sustainability.
“Our name is comprised of two elements that are near and dear to our hearts,” says Emily Erickson, Pure + FreeForm’s marketing manager. “Pure – our product is solid core aluminum and we use a minimum of 20% post-consumer recycled aluminum in our metal walls and panels. Using products which are produced wholly or partially from recycled content reduces the environmental impact of harvesting and processing virgin materials. It also lessens the impact on landfills and other waste-containment systems.
“FreeForm comes from the materials which are all free to form and design however you like,” she continues. “We excel in that custom, bespoke gray space. You could say I like the patina of this, the texture of that, with this color, and we’ll make it happen. We give people the ability to do what exactly what they want. You don’t hear that all the time.”
The Forum sat down with Erickson for a behind-the-scenes look at their striking and award-winning work.
LOCATION: San Francisco, CA
Finish: Mission Grain
Application: Interior Scope | Millwork, Wall Paneling, Staircase, Escalator
Application: Exterior Scope | Soffit
Gauge: Interior Scope | 1mm
Gauge: Exterior Scope | 3mm
Spec: Matte
Collection: Bespoke
Finishes-Color Family: Woodgrains
Pure + FreeForm’s custom woodgrains are showcased throughout the home of the Golden State Warriors.
“Our products cover 12,000 square feet of space in San Francisco’s Chase Center,” says Erickson. “The same material that is used on the exterior soffit of the building, is used on a variety of interior spaces as well to help marry the two spaces together.”
The same custom woodgrain, in a matte mission grain finish that is used on the soffit of the exterior of the building is also used on the millwork, wall paneling, staircases and escalators on the interior of the building. The consistency of product use on the interior is a key element with wayfinding, says Erickson.
This was a fun project for the Pure + FreeForm crew, says Erickson, “not only because of the massive success the Golden State Warriors have had in recent years, but because of the impact the Chase Center has had on the San Francisco community.”
The Gensler and Manica Architecture project also features a forward-thinking blend of hospitality elements with traditional stadium designs.
“Whether you’re in the mood for peanuts, hot dogs and beer, or a more involved, elevated experience with private lounges and seating areas, there is space for you at the Chase Center,” says Erickson. “The design changes are subtle enough where the different words truly blend together.”
LOCATION: New York, NY
The Architecture Plus Information (A+I) developed headquarters of one of the world’s leading voices in website publishing features a custom perforated torsion spring ceiling system designed and produced by Pure + FreeForm.
The custom piece, in a gun mental finish, is perforated and internally lit by LED bulbs to give the illusion of the night sky.
“It is such a dramatic piece, in an otherwise neutral space – the company’s breakroom,” says Erickson. “It truly adds an element of wow.”
Pure + FreeForm not only providing the sheeting for the project, but they custom-designed the torsion spring ceiling system as well.
“Custom design is our niche in the market,” says Erickson. “We love being able to see a project from start to finish, working closely with design teams to produce site-specific finishes and systems. Our vision is to create destinations recognized globally for their inspiring, contextual, purposeful designs.”
LOCATION: Portland, OR
Pure + FreeForm’s brass is the bridging detail connecting the contemporary and historic spaces in Expensify’s award-winning 1916 rental. Yep, it’s a rental.
Set in Portland’s downtown National Landmark First National Bank, and designed by ZGF Architects, the space accounts for both the grandeur of the existing interiors and the realities of the lease term.
“The main goal was to balance the space needs of the clients and the historical importance of the building by referencing the historic details and proportions,” says Erickson. “The brass bridged the two via two brass-clad, glass-enclosed workspaces which dominate the center of the building.”
The same metal is also used on backsplashes in “Gatsby” style breakrooms throughout the building, a favorite of feature of Erickson’s, which unifies the building’s public and private spaces
Pure + FreeForm was able to match the original brass in the building for the project and later released it as part of a collection.
