Cooked to perfection

A special mention has gone to Holland’s Klaas Kuiken for the application of a special casting technique to the traditional stove. #MDW2016

During a visit to the Lovink Technocast factory, Klaas Kuiken was struck by an iron casting technique called lost-foam casting (LFC). A common practice in the manufacture of engine parts, it usually remains unseen. This gave them the idea of its potential application to more accessible and visually interesting products outside the industrial sphere.

This is what lies behind the EPS Collection of clocks (the starting point for the experimentation) and wood stoves, all produced at Lovink Technocast using the lost-foam casting method. This unusual idea and the ensuing results – a look that is a mix of past and present – prompted the jury of the award assigned every year at the SaloneSatellite to young designers to give it a special mention.

The process is fascinating and starts by making models and moulds out of polystyrene foam (Styrofoam) which are placed in a container full of sand. Hot cast iron is then poured into the container to trigger casting. This creates a perfect copy of the polystyrene foam design, cast in a single piece and featuring the detailing of the foam mould.

Several models are now ready, the result of different approaches adopted during the production process.