Iron: A Thin Sheet of Black

Elements composed of thin iron plates. They are a shelf, a small tabletop, or a slender counter, with a thickness of only four to six millimeters, and edges that are cut and unfinished. The surface is black-dyed or naturally oxidized, with a color that is dark gray to near black, but uneven—fire marks from processing, varying shades of color patches, and subtle hammered irregularities are visible, presenting a soft and irregular shimmer under light. The iron plates have minimal support, often cantilevered from being embedded in an earthen wall, appearing very thin and light. A piece of pottery is placed on it. The black of the iron, the brown of the earthen wall, and the yellow of the wood form three distinct layers. Avoid: using stainless steel and galvanized bright metals, making the surface a uniform black paint, making the iron plates thick and heavy, adding visible supports and screws.

Translated from Chinese by AI.

一組薄鐵板構成的元素。它們是一段層板、一片小桌面、或一道細長的檯面,厚度僅四到六公釐,邊緣是切割後未加修飾的斷面。表面經過黑染或自然氧化處理,顏色是深灰近黑,但不均勻——可以看見加工時留下的火痕、深淺的色斑與細微的鎚打凹凸,在光下呈現柔和而不規則的微光。鐵板的支撐極少,常常一端嵌進土壁中懸挑出來,看起來很薄很輕。上面放著一只陶器。鐵的黑與土壁的褐、木的黃形成三個明確的層次。避免:使用不鏽鋼與鍍鋅的亮面金屬、把表面做成均勻的黑漆、把鐵板做得厚重、加入可見的支架與螺絲。