Melt collection designed by Tokyo-based studio nendo for WonderGlass captures the essence of molten glass in motion, using gravity and heat to shape elegant, fluid forms that blur the line between material process and design.
The series—comprising chairs, tables, stools, and decorative objects—captures the moment when molten glass, suspended between liquid and solid, yields to gravity and time. The collection embodies the precise yet organic nature of glass casting, where material behavior becomes the driving force of design. Each piece is formed through a labor-intensive process in which slabs of molten glass are spread, draped, and coaxed into elegant parabolic shapes.
The controlled surrender of form to natural forces is key to Melt’s aesthetic. The process begins with molten glass poured into a square frame, its surface smoothed by artisans wielding iron trowels. As it cools to a specific pliancy, the glass is transferred onto U-shaped molds, where it gracefully bends under its own weight. Each curve is meticulously shaped to avoid imperfections, reinforcing the balance between material autonomy and human intervention. The result is a collection that appears frozen mid-transformation, evoking the transient beauty of melting ice.
By pushing the capabilities of cast glass, Nendo expands WonderGlass’ legacy beyond lighting and smaller objects into furniture design. The collection follows previous collaborations with Ronan & Erwan Bouroullec but takes a distinctly different approach—one that embraces unpredictability and the inherent fluidity of glass. Crafted in Venice by a team of master artisans, Melt is a testament to the poetic potential of materiality, where technique and nature converge to define form.
