Commercial buildings tend to be of two types: rectangular and interesting. If rectangular buildings aren’t built tall and offer breathtaking views, they offer nothing but practical function and arguably unrivaled efficiency.
However, many architects challenge orthodoxy by coming up with architectural concepts that are visually mesmerizing and sometimes awe inspiring. It is no exaggeration to say that in some cases the view from the building is just as dramatic as the view from the building.
The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum (New York) designed by Frank Lloyd Wright is based on a series of circular elements, and the Zurich Insurance Group North American Headquarters Building (Schaumburg, Illinois) designed by Goettsch Partners. The elements are basically rectangles. grouped together in an unforgettable way. Architects such as Frank Gehry have gone to great lengths to eschew traditional thinking and create images without distinguishable patterns or predictability, such as the Walt Disney Concert Hall (Los Angeles) or the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao (Bilbao, Spain).
What happens when designers challenge the shape of the components and materials used in these buildings, turning conventional shapes into less traditional ones? Handrails, vents, and doorknobs are everyday items that enhance our perception of a building or situation to a certain extent, even if we don’t realize it. Such is the ambition of the English company Timeless Tube from Poole, which in the late 1980s changed the world of tubes on a small scale by making the world’s first oval stainless steel tube. Since then, Timeless has continued to produce innovative tubular products for a variety of applications, always guided by its motto: “Beautiful Metal Tubing Design”.
The company’s vision is to make the world a better place. For this, molded metal pipes are used, which turn ordinary functional structures into striking design components.
“We drew inspiration from the great American industrial designer Charles Eames, who said, “Details are not details. They design,” said Tom McMillan, general manager and chief engineer.
“This spirit pervades all of our work,” he continued. “We want to contribute to great design with our pipes, whether it’s architecture, furniture, or something completely mechanical.”
Timeless Tube has over three years of experience in developing custom handrail designs. His original product, oval tubes and unique joinery were used as handrails for yachts. Constructed from polished 316L stainless steel to withstand harsh marine conditions, this innovative product was quickly adopted by naval architects around the world. The elegant oval shape is not only more aesthetically pleasing than a round tube, but also has the safety advantage of being less prone to slipping when gripped by crew and passengers.
“Luxury yachts are all about attention to detail,” McMillan said. “Design values are focused on impeccable quality and ease of use. Our pipes are used by the most prestigious yacht builders in the world. Naval architects are especially picky – they don’t compromise on details. Our oval tubes are durable, and for good reason.”
However, Timeless wants to create new shapes as long as they offer advantages over round tubes and offer clear benefits to the end user. The company recently created a new form of handrail tube for luxury boats: square radius tubes. This rugged and refined shape is strong but has subtle protrusions so it doesn’t protrude too much. The hand fits the shape comfortably and securely, the edges are slightly curved.
The tube doesn’t have to be very long to make a statement. This short armrest on a small yacht looks elegant.
Timeless engineers have developed six unique pipe profiles, including two twisted pipes. Most of the company’s products are made from 304L and 316L stainless steel, but engineers also use aluminum, titanium and copper alloys. The only alloy they don’t use is mild steel as it is not corrosion resistant and thus contaminates stainless steel.
“What’s more, most of the applications we offer are high-tech, whether they’re decorative, structural, or mechanical,” McMillan said. “Mild steel may be cheaper, but it has its limitations for the applications we’re working on.”
However, this does not mean that Timeless limits its work to these six basic forms. A recent arena project gave the company’s engineers the opportunity to showcase their creativity and innovation.
In 2019, Timeless installed profiled pavement handrails on top of the stadium of the famous English Premier League football club. The walkway offers a 130-foot panoramic view of North London and the public can walk on the open platforms by attaching safety ropes and providing additional security with sturdy railings.
But finding this stainless steel handrail proved challenging for architects due to its unusual characteristics: it had to be large enough to fit over the section of steel box that attaches the sides of the stainless steel mesh to the glass walkway. They needed a custom tube that was visually appealing, contoured rather than angled, and with a laser-cut slot in the base.
The architects eventually found Timeless Tube, which provided a solution for a flat, oval tube with clean, rounded lines. This is a tubular shape that few engineers make, but it has some distinct advantages over round tubes. “This is our strongest tubular shape ever,” McMillan said. “It’s really useful if further production is needed because it’s easy to solder to other components like spindles and glass or auto parts thanks to its flat sides,” he said.
To cover the steel sections, the architects required this pipe to be much larger than what is currently available. Timeless is a small and flexible company that doesn’t have to deal with the burden of large operations and high volume production, so it can invest time and effort into prototyping and custom sizes for its customers.
When creating new dimensions, Timeless may not always achieve the exact dimensions requested by customers as these measurements may not result in pipes with structural integrity, or the pipe may not conform to the desired shape. After adjusting for the relationship between ovalization and flattening, Timeless produced a tube measuring 7.67 by 3.3 inches (195 by 85 mm) with a wall thickness of 0.118 inches (3 mm). The long size is only 0.40″ (10mm) narrower than originally listed.
“We form our tubes by cold drawing standard length round tubes on forming rolls,” Macmillan says. “The process of forming a tube is a kind of art. We never find ourselves simply “crushing” the tube. Once we’ve settled on a size that we know works, we calibrate all the settings so we can replicate This over and over again This exact size. But with the new size… well, we never know how it will affect us. Different metals give different results. It requires experimentation.”
The timeless pipe does not need to be frequently customized for use as a decorative shield for structural buildings, as it is already structurally sound.
The Timeless Tube product range includes six shapes: flat oval, oval, twisted oval, twisted rounded square, rounded square, and D. 2 inches) and many others.
“In the UK, we have extremely strict requirements for the design of the railings and materials used, which we fully comply with,” says Macmillan. “We even ran extensive deflection tests, proving that this flat oval tube is 54 percent stronger than a standard round tube. But in fact, these railings are not so much handrails, but “body rails” on which it is convenient to relax, ”he says.
Timeless’s work has appeared in several iconic buildings and buildings, including the handrails of the iconic Foster + Partners footbridge (also known as the Millennium Bridge) and a futuristic tube station inside London’s Canary Wharf. Ron Arad pointed to the Timeless oval chimneys in the atrium of the venerable Tel Aviv Opera House, which are often mentioned in architecture books.
“It doesn’t make sense to design such stylish buildings and then finish them with standard round pipes,” he said. “I think the best architects understand this and that’s why we have an international client base.”
In April 2020, Gigi Albers, owner of Synergigi, a Montana-based interior designer, purchased 5.8 m (20 ft) of 316L stainless steel oval pipe and 8 joinery from Timeless to use as legs for a custom coffee table.
In a style Elbers describes as “a combination of organic and geometric,” the order includes two stunning asymmetrical countertops – one in black walnut and the other in white oak – mounted in a continuous U-shape on joined oval mounts. Elbers needs to make sure that the thin carpets of her clients are not covered by thick table legs. She needed elegant, unobtrusive pipes to make the rug stand out as much as possible. She ordered samples from Timeless to make sure she had the correct tube size.
Architectural steel maker Daniel Boteler uses connectors to connect pipes at corners, which he says is “easier than doing 45 degrees on a saw” and results in a better finish. The weld is smoother because it is a straight weld rather than a fillet weld. With 20 years of experience in metal fabrication, Boteler says he would like to use molded metal pipes again.
The tubular legs of the table are sandblasted to give them an original textured look. Albers uses paint and beeswax to create a metallic “bulletproof” finish that she mixes herself. When asked why she went to such lengths to find the right tube shape, Ebers explained: “It’s all about the subtleties. Most people will notice that they like it, but they don’t really know. Why, unless they’re very intuitive.” “It’s new to the eye – the subconscious probably knows it’s new. They know it doesn’t look like a picnic table in the park,” she said.
From Tokyo to Topeka, Timeless delivers pipes regularly around the world, with North America being its largest international market. Macmillan came to the conclusion that customers cannot get the same shape, size, or the same quality elsewhere.
“Obviously shipping costs need to be considered, but if quality is paramount, it’s worth the price,” he said.
In addition to contemporary pieces such as the Synergigi table, Timeless has also witnessed a resurgence of traditional shapes. The company’s designers are often asked to reproduce or restore old-fashioned steelwork. Almost sculptural, their characteristic twisted ovals and square tubes are reminiscent of 17th-century spiral furniture.
“Our twisted tubes have been used in art, sculpture and high quality lighting, as well as custom balustrades,” says McMillan. “I believe that in the era of robotic manufacturing, people want to see craftsmanship. Artists and designers understand that they can use our tubes to improve their projects.”
In addition to architectural and decorative applications, other possibilities await. In any city or suburb where any society uses the infrastructure, McMillan thinks apps can add sophistication to replace the mundane or unappealing.
“I love the idea of using air ducts to creatively mask unattractive vents or to style a functional staircase,” he says. “We believe that from an aesthetic, ergonomic, and sometimes structural point of view, pipe sections that have been shaped and manufactured are the best alternative to typical round pipes.”
Tube & Pipe Journal 于1990 年成为第一本致力于为金属管材行业服务的杂志。 Tube & Pipe Journal 于1990 Tube & Pipe Journal стал первым журналом, посвященным индустрии металлических труб в 1990 году. Tube & Pipe Journal became the first magazine dedicated to the metal pipe industry in 1990. Today, it remains the only industry publication in North America and has become the most trusted source of information for pipe professionals.
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