SouthLoft's Parametric Bench Blends Form, Function, and Durability

How did you do in high school geometry class? Even if you weren’t a math wiz, don’t let the Parametric Bench intimidate you. The unusual piece of furniture actually came about via collaboration more than anything else. An interior designer at Dallas-based Foxcroft Studios wanted a parametric bench for a commercial project and discussed the concept with Colby Murphy, founder of custom furniture studio SouthLoft Crafted Concepts. This sharing of ideas and collaborative design led to the creation of the bench. And the rest is history.

"I didn’t actually know what parametric furniture was until I started researching and learned what it actually takes to design these complex forms," Colby explains.

For the uninformed (like Colby was): Parametric design is driven by algorithms and parameters. Designers must create rules and relationships to guide the furniture's geometry—complex math stuff. The end result is pure art! The Texas furniture designer stresses, “With the Parametric Bench, we wanted it to be functional but also viewed as an art piece.”

Furniture this striking is bound to become the focal point of any space. And with European polar core plywood, bound with steel all-thread, this parametric bench draws all the attention.

“The lead designer [at Foxcroft Studios] sent over some ideas that were far different from what we actually produced. I wanted to take what I had researched about parametric designs and create something truly unique,” Colby explains. “The designers gave me creative freedom to create from the ground up and take it in a different direction while still making sure it was usable for the space.”

So pleased with the final eye-catching product—which is finished with a durable Italian acrylic polyurethane system—Colby has added his Parametric Bench to the SouthLoft product line.

To learn more about Colby's process and what makes his projects come to life, read The Comm Sheet’s exclusive Q&A with this talented craftsman.

SouthLoft furniture, like the Parametric Bench, is available by custom design at southloftcc.com.

—Dalene Rovenstine