Turbina Studio search for the keys to multifunctional design through ‘Las Llaves’

Made up of four pieces sculpted in a brutalist stone cast material, the Las Llaves collection by Barcelona -based designers, Turbina Studio looks like objects from a science fiction movie.The four pieces of the sculptural collection function independently, but are also designed to seamlessly come together in different combinations as low tables, stools or shelving units. The collection’s name, Las Llaves which means The Keys (in Spanish) sheds light on the inspiration for the artefacts, and the designer’s narrative behind the pieces.

As they write, “From science fiction we take objects that go beyond their physical presence to become icons of transcendence. We speak of artefacts, objects that evidence the ignorance and limitations of the human being, that invite reflection and almost religious contemplation. These objects that we cannot locate, signify or describe interrupt or the continuum of information, they manifest themselves as a tear, a rupture, a place of extreme intensity and condensation where something indefinable dwells.” The objects that the designers refer to as their inspiration, that “invite reflection and an almost religious contemplation” are key objects, objects that trigger the plot of a sci-fi movie, the monolith in Space Odyssey for instance. ‘Key objects’ in movies have been crucial to understanding the transient and profound nature of human relationships, as the designers posit, and an aspect they want to highlight in their pieces.

The corporeality of ‘key objects’–the bridge between the material and immaterial–is something they explore through the solidness of the artefacts, the use of sharp angles, and the ambiguity of the sculptural design. What looks like a table could be a shelf, could be a sculpture, or could even be a stool. A study in brutal form, the pieces are made of a material the designers created, in a silky finish and warm brown colours. The pieces are hollow inside, so their weight is manageable despite their size.

Another analogy one might draw to science fiction with the collection is how each object fits with another without the need for screws, around a transparent glass sheet, akin to machines often seen in the genre. The multifunctionality of the artefacts which allows for flexibility of use is commendable. At the same time, the unique narrative device employed by the designers adds a certain depth and intrigue to the collection.

In their previous work, the designers have played with other strong narrative guides, exploring the unknown through the idea of rituals, symbols, primitive gestures, and scientific research. By using science fiction tropes in the current furniture designs, the intent was to explore the infinite possibilities of the cosmos. The collection is a coming together of the futuristic and the archaic, of form and function, with an irregular aesthetic evoking a sense of timelessness and multifunctionality that feels completely futuristic.