25.10.2023 - Aluminium Association

Domestic companies can design and manufacture interior products for residential apartments and offices. Despite this, the majority of furniture components in the market are imported. This viewpoint was expressed by Maria Itskova, an expert from the Aluminium Association, at the Age of New Materials Conference organised by the Agency for Creative Industries (ACI).

Today, architects frequently use aluminium in the construction of façades, urban infrastructure, and metro stations. Designers are increasingly resorting to metal for making such home interior items as tables, chairs, doors, wall panels, and so on. Most homes are now heated by aluminium or bimetallic radiators. Recently, they have become more than just standard heaters: they have become an interior design feature. Wall-mounted and floor-mounted radiators are available. They vary in shape and colour, and some have even won international design awards. This is due not only to the excellent properties of aluminium, such as lightness, strength and durability but also to its malleability, which makes it suitable for virtually any concept. Furthermore, aluminium furniture does not need special care and looks good for decades.

International designers are experimenting with aluminium casting and extrusion, material combinations (for instance, with wood), and metal shapes, offering increasingly popular projects to the market. In the meantime, domestic businesses have all the competencies to manufacture aluminium furniture for both mass-market and customized projects. For instance, in 2022, as part of the Build School forum, the Aluminium Association unveiled a pilot project for the construction of a school garden for 120+70 students using a new modular design for school and pre-school ¬buildings. The modular aluminium structures comply with all contemporary safety and performance requirements. It is based on domestic innovations: structural frames, modular façades, internal partitions, and school furniture.

Experts mentioned porous aluminium as a promising material for furniture design. A Yekaterinburg company is working on this. The material has a unique, unparalleled shape, along with lightness and impact resistance. It is also non-combustible and non-toxic which is particularly important for residential buildings. The manufacturer is experimenting with lighting, offering a range of room design options: for work, evening leisure, or socialising with friends. Another possibility for furniture design is the infusion of coloured resins into the porous material.

“We see significant interest from designers and architects in unique shapes, colours, and furniture manufacturing technologies. Their interest is growing as they discover that this unique technology is available locally. The Aluminium Association will continue to link manufacturers and designers to popularize the domestic aluminium companies”, said Maria Itskova.

There are great opportunities for metal in the field of decoration, specifically in finish coatings. Domestic companies can make aluminium of any appearance, colouring it in a variety of RAL colours, or even giving it the appearance of marble, stone, or wood. Finish coatings not only give the metal a unique look but also protect it. Indoor furniture with coated aluminium will last forever. The great capacity of finish coatings will soon be shared with local architects and designers at the upcoming Art of Building International Architecture Festival to be held from October 31 to November 2 in Moscow, at the Gostiny Dvor Expo Centre. The Aluminium Association, in collaboration with the Russian Union of Architects and the Union of Moscow Architects, will introduce a guide to aluminium finish coatings, aimed at fostering collaboration between manufacturers and architects.