Award-winning Sunflower-inspired Fire Pit Mixes Art with Utility and Transforms Your Patio

Shift Studio’s Sunflower fire pit redefines concrete fire pits with a modular twist, moving away from the bulky, one-piece molds traditionally used. Instead of casting the entire pit in a single, heavy mold, Sunflower’s modular design features smaller, repeatable concrete segments supported by a sturdy internal metal frame. This new approach not only makes each piece easier to cast, finish, and handle but also allows for on-site assembly, simplifying installation and adding flexibility. It’s an innovative break from the limitations of traditional concrete casting, where design is usually constrained by weight and the impracticalities of handling one large piece.

Designer: Shift Studio

The modular setup also opens up a world of creative possibilities. Each “petal” piece of concrete is distinct, enabling customizable combinations in color, tone, material, and finish. This setup gives Sunflower a unique aesthetic versatility, allowing homeowners to tailor the fire pit’s look to suit their personal style or the vibe of an outdoor space. It’s easy to imagine a configuration where each petal has its own shade, creating a gradient that enhances the fire pit’s organic, flower-inspired design. If a petal gets damaged, it can be replaced independently, which is a practical advantage not seen in traditional single-mold fire pits.

When Sunflower is lit, it truly comes to life. The metal frame holds the fire at the center, while the concrete petals channel light through the openings, casting shapes that resemble rays of sunlight. This interplay of light and shadow produces a mesmerizing, almost sun-like pattern that radiates warmth and creates a visually captivating experience. The segmented design not only looks beautiful but brings a tactile, hands-on quality to concrete, transforming the traditionally industrial material into something intimate and engaging. This setup encourages people to gather around, inviting quiet moments of reflection or shared conversation around the fire.

What makes Sunflower especially compelling is how it balances rugged concrete with an organic shape that feels connected to nature. The flower-inspired form, with petals circling a central flame, fosters a sense of unity and invites interaction in a way that’s rare for such functional pieces. Functioning not only as a fireplace but essentially also as a centerpiece, the Sunflower is designed to draw people in and evoke a sense of calm. Plus, with its modularity, Sunflower becomes a customizable, evolving piece that can be adapted to different settings, seasons, or moods.

A winner of the Red Dot Award: Design Concept for the year 2024, Shift Studio’s Sunflower reimagines concrete fire pit design, blending artistry with utility in a way that’s refreshingly adaptable. Its modular structure supports flexibility in both design and function, turning a simple outdoor fixture into a customizable, eye-catching element.

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Innovative Sunflower-shaped Modular Concrete Fire Pit Redefines Outdoor Elegance

The Sunflower fire pit represents a groundbreaking innovation in the realm of concrete fire pit design. Moving away from traditional methodologies, it embraces a modular approach that not only enhances aesthetic versatility but also simplifies the manufacturing, handling, and assembly processes.

Designer: SHIFT

Typically, concrete fire pits are crafted using a single, large mold. This method, while effective, results in heavy, bulky products that offer limited design flexibility and pose challenges in terms of finishing, storage, and transportation. Sunflower disrupts this convention by employing a segmented design supported by an internal metal frame. Each segment is a smaller concrete cast piece, replicated to form the fire pit’s unique and eye-catching geometry.

The modular approach of this fire pit introduces numerous practical benefits. By requiring smaller molds, each concrete piece can be individually finished, handled, and stored with much greater ease. This modular system also facilitates on-site assembly, making it convenient for various settings and uses. The internal metal frame not only supports the overall structure but also ensures that the fire pit can be easily assembled and disassembled as needed.

One of the most exciting aspects of Sunflower is its potential for customization and experimentation. The modular design allows for a myriad of possibilities in terms of form and aesthetics. Designers can play with different colors, tones, materials, and finishes, creating unique combinations that reflect personal taste or thematic requirements. The design’s versatility extends to practical applications too; individual concrete pieces, resembling flower petals, can be easily replaced if damaged, ensuring the fire pit’s longevity and sustained visual appeal.

As its name suggests, the Sunflower Fire Pit draws inspiration from the natural world, specifically the intricate and beautiful structure of flowers. Each concrete piece mirrors a petal, contributing to the overall floral geometry. This not only enhances the fire pit’s visual charm but also adds a layer of symbolism and organic connection to its design.

When in use, the fire at the center of the pit is held securely by the internal metal frame. The light from the flames shines through the spaces between the repeated concrete segments, creating a distinctive and mesmerizing pattern that resembles the radiating light of the sun. This interplay of light and form not only adds to the visual allure of the fire pit but also enhances the ambiance of any space it occupies.

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This Japanese flat-pack fire pit sets up effortlessly and uses a dual combustion system to amplify heat

When I say campfire, it would evoke a different emotion in each one of us. Time for self, chat with friends, searing meat for dinner; everything besides an ignited fire pit. One thing that remains constant though is the usual fuss of igniting the fire, tending to it, and ensuring it burns with less smoke and more heat. Finally, there may be a flat-packed fire pit that wants to ensure setting up fire is a breeze and you can control intensity and ambiance, thanks to its customizable metal plank design.

Designer: UM Design

Click Here to Buy Now: $225 $299 (25% off). Hurry, only 1/20 left, less than 48 hours to go!

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The user-friendly UM Fire Pit is a product of Japanese craftsmanship and immaculate metalwork. The design is pretty straightforward: you have a round base, that collects ash and has air vents to help in combustion as wood burns in the pit. The pit comprises eight similar-sized laser-cut and bent sheets of metal, which vertically fasten into the dedicated grooves in the base. You can choose to use a few or all of the planks, depending on whether you want to watch the fire burn when you’re sitting alone outside your tent, or want to barbecue steak for family dinner at the park next to your RV.

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Given its design, the UM Fire Pit disassembles and can fit – along with its grill grate – into the carrying bag the size of a laptop case. When you’re at the campsite, you can assemble the fire pit back up in under a minute and build an effective campfire with minimal hassle. Interestingly, the fire pit packed up for transportation weighs 13 lbs, so if you’re a backpacker, this may not be the best bet. But if you’re driving or riding into the wilderness, there cannot be a more utility fire pit companion for you.

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I say this not because the UM Fire Pit has a fancy design and appears trendy and everything. In fact, I base my argument on its dual combustion design. The air vents in the base generate airflow into the pit helping boost air circulation, which permits the wood to burn more efficiently with less smoke. The eight panels making an enclosed heat chamber create secondary combustion which allows the wood to burn well. A grill plate can be added to the top (covers half portion) of the vertically aligned planks to prepare a good, smoked meal made possible by the pit’s adjustable combustion system and optimized airflow.

And when you want more visibility of the fire and don’t want to use the grilling option, you can remove a few panels and create the balance of warmth and visibility you want. The ash collected in the base of the UM Fire Pit is easy clean up, while the corrosion-resistant stainless interior of the base and the metal planks assure durability and years of usage. The exterior black color of these panels exudes a rustic charm made possible with mill scale coating instead of paint. The fire pit is currently being crowdfunded, it has already reached the funding goal and should be in line with its estimated shipping time of January 2024. The UM Fire Pit will retail for $299 but is for now available at a discount of $225. The product is made and will be shipped from Japan, so overseas customers will have to bear shipping and customs fees.

Click Here to Buy Now: $225 $299 (25% off). Hurry, only 1/20 left, less than 48 hours to go!

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This terracotta chimney gives you the warmth of a fireplace in a small, sustainable package

Most fireplaces in older apartments have been decommissioned because of how much of a health hazard they are. However, it’s no secret that fire is one of the most effective ways to generate heat, whether it’s for cooking food or for keeping you warm. While the chances of you having a working fireplace in your home are near zero, the folks at NextNova have designed the next best thing – a terracotta heater that uses a unique airflow pattern to create a tower of fire that heats your home while also optionally distributing a fragrance of your choice.

Designer: NextNova

The Tornado combines the charm of a fireplace with the safety of, say, a scented candle. The terracotta-based heater relies on airflow, along with the thermal properties of baked clay to generate radiating heat for both the indoors as well as the outdoors. On the inside, it burns bioethanol using ceramic wool as a substrate, generating heat without any smoke, ash, harmful chemicals, or bad odors. This means you can use the Tornado inside your home without worrying about triggering the fire alarm!

The Tornado comes from the same folks that designed the Egloo, which we dubbed “the world’s most affordable thermostat” back in 2017. Significantly larger than the Egloo, it stands at 17 inches tall, with an internal chamber that creates a large fire vortex that generates much more heat than you would get from the Egloo. In fact, the makers claim it outputs 7000 BTU (British Thermal Units) of heat, allowing it to do the job of a miniature campfire in your room, heating things up without burning any electricity!

The Tornado gets its name from the uniquely tall flame it creates. Strategically placed openings in the sides of the vertical chamber channel air in to amplify the fire, creating a wind vortex that lifts the flame up to 5x higher than usual. This not only increases the Tornado’s heat production, it also makes for a rather alluring display on the front, allowing you to admire the rising flame in all its glory.

Metal components help absorb excess heat, preventing the terracotta shell from cracking.

Once the flame is roaring, it heats the terracotta shell, which then emanates warmth to heat your home. The Tornado’s designed to be used both indoors as well as outdoors, mimicking the effect of a fireplace without the hazards of smoke or a potential disaster. The flame is contained within the Tornado’s secure and stable design. Just remember not to touch it, because it gets pretty hot!

Aside from heating, the Tornado can be used to diffuse aromas too. Just add a few drops of an essential oil of your choice to the ceramic wool, and the heat causes aromatic compounds to enter the air, working the way a scented candle does!

The strategic openings also serve an important purpose in allowing you to light or extinguish your Tornado. The lighting process first starts by lifting up the top hood to reveal the heat-resistant ceramic tray inside, with ceramic wool substrate. Pour your bio-ethanol in before placing the hood back. The openings on the side then let you place a long-neck lighter in to light the fire, or a flame snuffer to extinguish the fire instantaneously.

The Tornado currently finished crowdfunding on Kickstarter, raising an impressive $88,485 from nearly 500 backers. The backers will now get to choose what color they want their Tornado in, ranging from the classic beige and orange, to even colors like white, blue, red, and black!

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