Refractory

Refractory is a furniture, lighting and objects brand and design studio in Chicago, founded by Angie West from Texas and Alberto Vélez from Bogotá. The name points to an unyielding nature, in material as in process: works are patterned, moulded and crafted in house by industrial designers and artisans who layer centuries-old techniques with modern tooling.

Each piece is one of a kind, the result of heat, chemical interaction and the hand, and the catalogue is organised in series such as Montura, drawn from frontier saddlery and leatherwork; Isthmus, on narrow formations that tether two masses; Amarra, built on wrapping, tension and geometry; and Promontory, on armour and the limestone ridges of the American West. The atelier casts, finishes and patinates in house, with weaving and ceramics planned for future editions.