Squeeze by Aestus
Squeeze Radiator by Aestus
www.aestus.co.uk (T) 01902 387080
The aptly-named Squeeze radiator is the first fruit of a brand new collaboration between UK radiator-veterans Aestus and metal-artiste Stephen Newby. Based in Newcastle upon Tyne, Stephen was commissioned to produce a design which had a ‘timeless quality, referencing both old and new’, using his signature metal-inflating technique.
As such, Squeeze models - individually formed in Stainless Steel - can sit equally in a Victorian terrace or an ultra-modern apartment. Featuring a super-slim profile (35mm), Squeeze is available in two lengths, 440 and 880mm (height 610mm) and in Polished or Brushed finishes. Suitable for all central heating and domestic hot water systems, Squeeze is 100% Made in Britain and incorporates revolutionary proto-typing, metal ‘blowing’ and laser-welding techniques.
Designer, Stephen Newby, explains ...
“The process of inflating metal is curiously attuned to radiator design and shares certain similarities, which I find fascinating. For example the actual shaping of Squeeze comes from pumping high-pressure water into two sheets of metal. The appeal of designing radiators comes not only from a desire to create interesting and beautiful objects but also to create beauty with a high level of functionality so that performance is not sacrificed for looks. This design ethos is something that Aestus shares the same passion for … as well as a love of design and materials”
A perfect blend of form and function
Squeeze’s form is completely intertwined with its function. The starting point for its design was to try and utilise the inflating process to provide the pathways for the water to meander round. As with a classic column radiator it conveys a paired down simplicity and honesty, whereby the eye can in effect ‘follow’ the flow of the water. “There is a certain satisfaction that comes from understanding how the radiator works just by looking at it” Stephen Newby
Material-Mastery
What attracted Aestus to Stephen’s vast and varied work (www.fullblownmetals.com) is that he succeeds in softening and bringing an organic, tactile quality to clinically modern materials such as stainless steel. In doing so, he effectively provides these materials with a ‘soul’. Indeed, the Squeeze radiator is quite the opposite of the inane ‘white heating box’ or the ‘hard’ cast-iron aesthetic. Instead it is blessed with a sleek silhouette, captivating curves and a finish that is alive with reflections. All this without in any way compromising the material’s strength, durability and permanence not to mention its high-functionality in terms of heat-transfer. What makes Squeeze unique is that all these aesthetic elements are synthesized into an object that performs equally if not better than its unimaginative or utilitarian counterparts.
