n.
A thin greenish layer, usually basic copper sulfate, that forms on copper or copper alloys, such as bronze, as a result of corrosion.
The sheen on any surface, produced by age and use.
A change in appearance produced by long-standing behavior, practice, or use: a face etched with a patina of fine lines and tiny wrinkles.
It may also be seen as the visual result of everything that happens to an object over the course of time.
Apart from the aesthetic richness and character that a patina affords a material, it is typically viewed as evidence of the ageing process and a signifier of an object's ability to stand the test of time. This is, in part, the reason why well-crafted objects tend to gain value as they get older. Though this notion is obvious to anyone who appreciates antiques, it takes on renewed significance in this age where the linkage of design and sustainability has become so prominent in our cultural dialogue - for what simpler measure for the potential sustainability of an object than its ability to last?
Concrete, through history, has a proven ability to last but it is only within the last half-century that it has become widely appreciated for its aesthetic potential. As a design material, a significant part of concrete's value is its ability to continue to look good, or look better as it gets older. It owes this quality not simply to its durability, but to the fact that it is a solid, homogeneous mass, that its aesthetic largely comes from the substance itself, not from applied coatings, and that, over time, it develops a patina.
Concrete, like the metal in the definition above, changes with age and exposure to the elements. A manufactured substance, concrete shares the traits that allow natural materials to age and patina gracefully. It has a natural surface porosity that permits water to penetrate its outermost surface and, like metals and some stones, it is mildly reactive. Further, though concrete substantially cures in 28 days, it continues to change chemically on a low level for years. So when rain, snow and sun contact the concrete, they cause minute chemical reactions that create subtle colour shifts and crystallizations. These ongoing processes are delicate interaction between concrete and its environment that subtly inform its patina and make it more beautiful over time.
We will be showing our wares at IDS 09 in Toronto Feb 5-8 and Design Northwest in Vancouver on Feb 11-12. For more information on these expos follow the links:
A gallery of stunning client installations of our Fraser Fireplace Surround. To find out more about Fraser click here.
This large decorative planter, designed for the Westin hotel in San Francisco is now available. The planter stands at 30" tall x 42" x 29". Please contact us for more information.