The Gathering Hand is derived from GRAS’s five decades of passionate, hands-on creation—historically in the fields of conservation, architecture and interiors—and from the firm’s interest in interdisciplinary design. Through The Gathering Hand, GRAS celebrates the innate human drive to make. GRAS’s Product Design Engineer, Alistair Byars, explains: “Our intention with the collection was to distil and communicate the value of physical creation: the use of both hand and mind to explore the potential of material and form. This age-old pursuit holds life-affirming benefits that are self-evident to the maker.”
First shown at Blue Mountain School during London Design Festival 2022, the exhibition showcases three typologies—The Carpenter’s Tables, The Glassblower’s Vessels and the Stonemason’s Objects—each crafted from evocative materials through processes that celebrate the skills of specialist collaborators including Edmond Byrne, Namon Gaston and Studio Corkinho. Forms are carefully-proportioned and decidedly simple to reveal the innate qualities and textures of each singular material, resulting in sensory yet functional furniture and objects.
The Carpenter's Side Table / Detail
The Glassblower's Tumbler
ABOUT GRAS
GRAS is an award-winning architecture and design practice based in Edinburgh. The studio was formed by Gunnar Groves-Raines in 2020, following the consolidation of two successful, family-run practices. The importance of the making process is integral to the studio’s approach, and this ethos is applied across their multidisciplinary output, which ranges from large-scale architectural projects, and the conservation of historic buildings, to the creation of handheld objects.
The Glassblower's Vessels / Process
All products are made-to-order. For sales or to arrange an appointment with the team, please contact alistair@gras.co
Product photography by Gabriella Silveira / Process photography by Shaun Barton