Karim Rashid has designed a collection of metal tiles for the Australian manufacturer ALLOY. He says: “I have always been obsessed with patterns. Working with ALLOY has given me a great opportunity to play with the idea of pattern, grid, and repetition. A pattern is a way of giving richness and depth to our Cartesian landscape. The more diversity of line, shape, and composition, the more interesting a single cell is. The undulating, curvilinear forms give a 2-dimensional surface a sense of 3-dimensions. These elements repeat in a predictable manner but they are designed to contradict the square tile. This collection for ALLOY is organic in shape because I believe that the world needs a softening and a more fluid human spirit.”

The Karim for ALLOY collaboration has resulted in the development of eight innovative metal tile ‘cells’ designed to change the ‘face’ of metal tiles. Available in all of ALLOY’s materials and finishes including stainless steel, copper, brass, titanium and raw steel, each design has been carefully developed, tested and manufactured in ALLOY’s Australian factory. Every tile is punched from an individual sheet of solid, 1.6mm high quality metal to deliver a seamless, hardwearing finish designed to last a lifetime.

http://www.contemporist.com/2010/08/28/metal-tiles-by-karim-rashid-for-alloy-2/