Petit Duc Bench

Press Kit

Unique Properties

The Petit Duc is composed of a shale sandstone tablet. This stone is unique in the world, after machining we obtain different surfaces which offer specific patterns. This table is placed on refined legs made of metallized and powdered steel specially designed to support the stone. This table has been designed to resist to bad weather and to embellish your terrace but it will also sublimate, by its presence, your interior.

Dimensions & Packaging

340 mm x 2000 mm x 450 mm x 80 Kg.

Tags

bench, design, garden, outdoor, indoor, marble, sandstone, metal

Production Technology

To transform steel and shale sandstone into Petit Duc, various machining operations are required. The Warche quarry extracts the blocks, which are then cut using a single wire machine. The tablet is obtained after being machined by the CNC. The stone is polished according to the desired finish and the chamfers are made by hand. The steel is laser cut and then the parts are bent. The set of parts is welded together by an iron worker. The welded steel structure is placed in baths to be metallized, a layer of powder paint is applied as a final coating, this layer ensures resistance to corrosion and UV.

Design Challenge

One of the most complicated points on this project was the technical characteristics of the stone and its density. We had to think about transport methods and solve problems for the placement of the furniture.
Storage solutions were implemented to facilitate stock management and production flow.
Textures were a real challenge, as we are the only ones to use shale sandstone for furniture, there is only few research on the technical properties of this material.
The prototyping process was a challenge, the density of the stone and the technical restrictions linked to it, required a considerable investment.

Project Duration

The project started in January 2021 in Malmedy and finished in January 2022 in Malmedy.

Operation Flow

The first step is to select a block of stone from the Warche quarries, which is then cut and processed to obtain the exact dimensions. The different parts that make up the steel part are laser cut and folded, and finally welded together.
The whole furniture is assembled at the Warche quarry and Malstone takes care of the delivery and placement of the furniture.

Research

The objective was to answer this question: How to bring more value to the shale sandstone? Part of the stone extraction is used in architecture and the rest is crushed. The choice turned to the decoration sector. The employment of a local material and to support the short circuits was an important stake as well as to guarantee the quality of the product.

Inspiration

This bench can be installed outside and inside, its stone shelf is unique, the stones of "Moellons" are of Malmedienne origin a small town located in Wallonia. Numerous footpaths surround the quarry of the Warche. Numerous benches litter the paths and the Belgian gardens. In order to realize an ideal product for our region Malstone opts for the use of local materials with a local knowledge.

Image Credits

Image #DSGN_Award_Banc_01_3600 : Photographer Gilles Poitier, the table outside, 2021.
Image #DSGN_Award_Banc_02_1800 : Artist Julien Hac, 3D render Grand Duc N°1, 2021.
Image #DSGN_Award_Banc_03_1800 : Artist Julien Hac, 3D render Grand Duc N°1, 2021.
Image #DSGN_Award_Banc_04_1800 : Photographer Julien Hac, Detail Logo Grand Duc N°1, 2021.
Image #DSGN_Award_Banc_05_1800 : Photographer Julien Hac, Global view Grand Duc Collection, 2021.

Patents

Trademarks: "Malstone (2021)/Nelles SA"

Colors of Petit Duc Bench