marceloisdrawing(cutlery)
Industrial Design · Fabrication

Rainier logotypeLuxury Cutlery

Role
Sketching · Prototyping · Fabrication
Team
Alexia Dutriz · Emerson Holtermann · Marcelo Torres
01 · The brief

A study in form

This studio project was about understanding and developing product form. Three designers invented a brand, chose the kitchen as the place to test it, and built the full set by hand: the knife, the cutting board and the block, each carried from sketch to finished piece.

Silhouette of the full set: the knife standing in the block at the end of the board
  • Dynamic
  • Modern
  • Comfortable
  • Unique
  • Elegant
02 · References

Mood board

Dramatic and elegant angles and bold geometry meet high quality materials.

Moodboard reference: wood planks with glowing blue resin veins
Moodboard reference: white mineral terraces holding turquoise water
Moodboard reference: wooden axe with a thin steel cutting edge
Moodboard reference: bioluminescent mushrooms glowing violet in a dark forest
Moodboard reference: an octopus ringed with bioluminescent blue dots
Moodboard reference: mint green supercar
Moodboard reference: agate geode, banded orange stone around a crystal core
Moodboard reference: knife standing in a tree stump in the fog
Moodboard reference: black blade set into a pale wood wall mount
Moodboard reference: faceted steel knife and fork
Moodboard reference: black knives mounted on a grey wall above white ceramics
Moodboard reference: dark kitchen with a live-edge wood table and black pendants
Moodboard reference: folding knife with glowing teal edges on black
Moodboard reference: table of split wood filled with glowing turquoise resin
03 · Ideation

Form Exploration (2D)

Quick exploration of angles, shape interactions, and product language.

Pencil construction drawing of the wedge-shaped knife block
Refined knife profile with stepped grip lines at the bolster
Line drawing of the cutting board with its recessed handle
Refined knife profile with a low sweeping handle
Pencil sketch of a chef's knife with a crosshatched handle
Dimensioned drawing of the knife block
Pencil sketch of a knife profile with a notched bolster
Pencil sketch of a knife profile with a dropped handle line
Pencil sketch of a knife profile with grip grooves along the spine
Line drawing of a faceted knife, fork and spoon set
Sketch of the knife block with a blue knife silhouette rising from it
Refined knife profile with a finger notch under the bolster
Pencil sketch of the cutting board with the block docked at its corner
Refined knife profile with a hollow handle
Sketch of the knife block with its slots marked in blue
Refined knife profile with three grooves cut into the spine
04 · Sketch models

Form Exploration (3D)

Mid fidelity prototypes built to test dimensions and ergonomics.

Cardboard model of the knife block, its panels labeled in marker
Four cardboard handle mockups laid out on grey, one with a clay grip
Four wooden knife prototypes fanned out on grey
Mockup of the cutting board edge, layered black and tan
Lineup of ten carved handle prototypes
Fan of carved wooden knife prototypes spread on grey
05 · Fabrication

Custom Build

Laminated wood, milled steel, and an inlaid logotype, all finished by hand.

The knife block mid-lamination: slotted wood slices threaded on a dowel
The steel blade clamped to the mill
Glue applied to the metal Rainier logotype inlaid into the board's corner
06 · Full set

The prototype

Bocote wood, hardened steel and bioresin.

Side close-up of the knife resting against the block on the board
The finished board seen straight on, its inlaid border line and recessed handle catching the light
The board on edge, the inlaid Rainier logotype catching the light
A hand holding the finished knife in a pinch grip
The complete Rainier set: knife, block and board together on black
Credits
Design and build
Alexia Dutriz
Emerson Holtermann
Marcelo Torres
Program
Industrial Design
Savannah College of Art and Design