Heath Ceramics and House Industries are launching Heath House Numbers, three-dimensional clay tiles celebrating the legendary Neutra and Eames fonts. The tiles skillfully combine clay, kilns, and craft with numerical interpretation of the Eames and Neutra legacies in a timeless tribute to a classic California aesthetic.
The Heath artisans are uniquely qualified to create a three-dimensional ceramic representation of House Industries' two-dimensional typographic world. Each clay tile is glazed in a matte finish with a raised, unglazed number. As with all Heath tiles, Heath House Numbers are pressed, hand-glazed, trimmed, and kiln-fired. They fuse simple, crisp lines, geometric forms and rich glazes in bold and classic colors. The two companies designed the tiles to be modular and easily integrated within a Heath tile installation, as well as to be displayed on their own with the use of a beautiful, modern track system-available in either salvaged teak or stainless steel.
Joined by a mutual admiration for one another, the two 'H's began collaborating after Andy Cruz, owner of House Industries, toured the Heath Factory in the spring of 2009. Their partnership had all the building blocks of a brilliant marriage - two passionate and independent parties working with opposing materials on a convergent path; the result - a 'clay on words' too good to pass up - Heath House Numbers.
"Bringing the Neutra and Eames-inspired fonts to life in clay form is so exciting to us," said Heath Ceramics Creative Director Catherine Bailey. "Forming these beautiful and refined type-shapes out of an imprecise material, like clay, creates a fantastic contrast. The finished piece becomes as interesting as what's likely to be housed inside the homes where the numbers preside."
The Neutra numbers (3x6 inches) are offered in museum black and mid-century white, while the more playful Eames numbers (4x4 inches) are available in bright yellow, paprika, and museum black. At $38, Heath House Number tiles will be on sale as of June 1st, 2011 along with the specially made tracks in salvaged teak and stainless steel, which range from $42 to $48, depending on size.