Tetrastella: Boldness of Granite Melds with Designers’ Fire

Los Angeles-based designer and artist, Lauren S. Thompson has launched her inaugural series, the Tetrastella collection at Spring Studios, New York. Lauren introduced the collection culminating her transformative journey and her vision to make art an inclusive experience. Photography by Matteo Bianchessi

Tetrastella, a sculptural concept of geometric precision, is a perfect synthesis of Lauren’s modus operandi and approach to design, where she transforms energy into matter.

Tetrahedral forms intersect each other to create a symmetrical star-like shape in bold granite of swirling veins in diverse colours. These intricate patterns, juxtaposed with the object’s sharpangular facets, result in a fascinating union of nature’s eccentricity with human-made structure. The preview of the products showcased around ten pieces of the Tetrastella in various manifestations of hues, each an experience – structural, non-dual, geometric, balanced, and calming.

The designer has always been attracted to bold shapes and lines, dedicating long work spans to a very intentional shape, and seeing how different materials react to various forms.

“Tetrastella holds a profound significance for me. It was the first piece I created, paving the path that led me to my true purpose. I hope that the pieces will speak to those seeking grounding serenity, and their own truth,” says Lauren.

Steeped in meaning and a purposeful endeavour, the objects transcend their aesthetic augustness. Both statements and meditation, each piece is the result of years of study, capturing moments of intentions that pulse with life. The designer’s philosophy is meant to be experienced as tactile and visual engagements, whether through her work or her meditation practice, as a means of sharing her translation of surrounding frequencies with those who encounter her world.

“The Tetrastella collection is the result of period of deep introspection and contemplation in my life. My meditation practice in combination with my fascination with geometric studies and quantum physics, Tetrastella very organically came to me during a furniture course I was ,”enrolled in,” explains Lauren of the birth of this art form. ”The literal translation of the mathematics behind a star tetrahedron–which if its tetrahedrons fully penetrated, is the shape that Tetrastella makes–is pure divinity and divine purpose. There is no coincidence that the first piece of this creative chapter in my life represents this and has also led me to my own personal purpose.”

“In sacred geometry, a common and foundational reference are the five platonic solids. There are only five three dimensional solids (polyhedrons), and one is the tetrahedron. Traditionally representing the element of fire, the tetrahedron consists of four vertices and four faces of equilateral triangles.”

“Although these physical pieces that I am producing are the language in which I communicate certain frequencies, it is the frequency and energy that is my primary focus, the art is just a result of a fluid translation,” she says.

The material chosen and the mediums used are not without reason or research. “My background is in high performance concrete and in seeking to learn more about various materials, I was introduced to TAB surfaces, a highly impressive granite operation that is based out of Bangalore, India. After learning about the possibility of applying granite to the Tetrastella form, my relationship with TAB organically established itself as the infrastructure of the production process behind this collection,” says Lauren.

“We faced numerous challenges while developing these pieces over the past two+ years. While working closely with their brilliant engineers, we refined prototypes dozens of times. The primary challenge with this form is the connection that connects the two tetrahedrons–it is unique and with such a hard material, aligning the pieces to perfectly interlock was ambitious but finally and successfully accomplished.”

The collection was born of a purpose that needed fruition, but does not claim to be a purely functional piece rather occupies the releam between art and design.

“Born at a time where I was craving to ignite a lot of fire within, this peaceful and serene object came to fruition. The fire element that a tetrahedron represents in combination with the divinity that a star tetrahedron emits, this piece brings a bold amount of peace to a space. This is the function that I hope to do with my art, bring calm and gentle energy and sincere connection to the people and spaces that my art interacts with,” says the artist.

Lauren plans to expand her next collection to the different polyhedrons that make up the five platonic solids.

“Since I have the tetrahedron (fire element) completed, I hope to focus on cubes (hexahedrons, earth element) as well as softer and curvier lines that focus on the water element to offer lighter energy in a space. The Tetra Bench series is an evolution of the connection that Tetrastella represents. There is a theme of non-duality in my work–I firmly believe that as humans, we are all beautifully and divinely connected. The benches build on this concept of connection and unity by linking two Tetrastellas to become one.

Lauren is also appreciative of the support from her manufacturing unit in India which resulted in this form of art, “The craftsmanship I have experienced with my team in India is incomparable to any fabricator I have ever worked with. My team’s attention to detail, kindness and determination to perform with impeccable quality has now set the standard for what I look for in any relationship with other collaborators.  The quality of materials, facilities and equipment is some of the nicest I have seen in the world. After a couple years of fine tuning our production process, we have distilled it to something that is efficient and gratifying for everyone involved.”

“I presented the collection for the first time in New York and at Frieze in Los Angeles and will be heading to Milan Design Week in Milan in April,” says Lauren of her future plans.