CABOCHON
LOCATION: Toronto, Ontario - Canada
COLLABORATION: Diego Burdi, BurdiFilek
PROJECT TYPE: Private Residence
PHOTOGRAPHER: Doublespace Photography
Designed and engineered after months of experimentation and iteration, Cabochon was commissioned as the primary focal point for a 25,000-square-foot collector’s home.
Engineered to suspend 30 feet from the ceiling without any visible fasteners, the Column boasts 750 artisanal glass cabochon pieces casting an ethereal reflection against the home’s three-story, sinuously curved limestone staircase.
The bespoke fixture was created in collaboration with BurdiFilek co-owner and designer Diego Burdi, positioned as a beacon within the extraordinary home.
Video Credit: When They Find Us | Doublespace Photography
Creating the Cabochon pieces was a magical journey back in time, utilizing the traditional mechanics of a monkey press from 1890. After pouring hot molten glass into our cabochon moulds, the weighted press moved the molten material into every crevasse, ensuring each piece was keyed perfectly into its frame.
“Matthew McCormick’s commitment to the journey was unwavering. Its essence was to exude a regal yet inviting sensibility that complemented the home’s range of dramatic sightlines,” says Burdi. “It morphs from a structural piece to a column of light, almost hypnotic when you experience it in person. The scale and attention to detail are what makes it truly memorable.”
To create a jaw-dropping vantage point from every floor of the home, Cabochon is a piece with a personality - emanating the perfect refraction of light through every one of the hand-poured glass cabochon pieces, creating a unique and beautiful canvas on the understated staircase. The fixture is just as beautiful when the inner lighting structure is off, offering an evolving mosaic of reflection with every passing hour of natural daylight.
“THE PROCESS AND ENGINEERING OF THE COLUMN WAS A PERFECT MARRIAGE OF OLD AND NEW WORLD GLASS ARTISANSHIP. CREATING THE BEAUTIFUL CABOCHON PIECES WAS A JOURNEY BACK IN TIME, UTILIZING THE TRADITIONAL MECHANICS OF A MONKEY PRESS FROM 1890; HOWEVER, TO SUSPEND A 1,500 LB STRUCTURE TO THE CEILING IN A WAY THAT LOOKED EFFORTLESS TOOK A SPECIALIZED LEVEL OF ENGINEERING AND FORESIGHT.”
— Matthew McCormick
Making Cabochon | Behind the scenes
“THE COLUMN MORPHS FROM A STRUCTURAL PIECE TO A COLUMN OF LIGHT THAT IS ALMOST HYPNOTIC WHEN YOU EXPERIENCE IT IN PERSON. THE SCALE AND ATTENTION TO DETAIL ARE WHAT MAKES IT TRULY MEMORABLE.”
- Diego Burdi
“THE CRAFTSMANSHIP BEHIND EACH CABOCHON GLASS ‘STONE’ WAS A CORE ATTRIBUTE IN THE FINAL LOOK AND FEEL OF THE PIECE, AS WE CAREFULLY EVALUATED THE OPTICS, CLARITY, AND COLOUR IN EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THE 3,000 PIECES CREATED – JUST AS YOU WOULD A DIAMOND.”
- Matthew McCormick
A structure of this magnitude was no small feat to manufacture and engineer. With more than 3,000 cabochon-shaped glass pieces produced as part of its extensive research and development, the process was driven by the attention to detail required to produce the finest jewelry.
“The craftsmanship behind each cabochon glass ‘stone’ was a core attribute in the final look and feel of Column, as we carefully evaluated the optics, clarity, and colour in each one of the 3,000 pieces created – just as you would a diamond,” says Matthew McCormick.
“The end result was more than 1,500 lbs in glass to be mounted to its inner metal frame, which we knew had to look effortlessly suspended from the ceiling. We were elated at the final result, which was monolithic, yet understated in terms of how we were able to embrace this beautiful connotation of artisanal glass elegantly.”
by Matthew McCormick Studio
A platform where the rules relax, and imagination can run untethered, briefcase is the stage where Matthew McCormick comes to play. A means to explore new creative territory through innovation and discovery, briefcase is also a public window into the process and ethos at Matthew McCormick Studio.
The genesis of Matthew’s lifelong passion for collecting inspiration in every day, briefcase is a space where fervent curiosities and creative expression culminate beyond the creation of objects alone; it offers an open invitation for collaboration and exploration across disciplines, materiality, and mediums - chasing the unexpected, unbound by convention.