Bronze Heart
A hand-laid bronze mosaic sculpture for a private lakeside residence.
A private client approached us to commission an abstract statement piece for the entrance hall of a lakeside residence. From an open exploration of forms across marble and bronze, the client selected a pierced heart — sculpted fully in the round, clad in hand-cut bronze tesserae, and set beneath the home's floating oak staircase, where it turns a passing space into the first thing a guest sees on arrival.
A Single Warm Gesture
The brief began deliberately open: an abstract piece, material and form to be resolved through the design process. It needed to be warm enough to soften a palette of stone, timber and glass, personal rather than decorative, and sized to hold the double-height volume of the stairwell without competing with the view of the lake. We presented a curated range of directions before the client settled on the heart, in bronze.
One Tile at a Time
Every tessera is cut, placed and brazed by hand, then polished individually — so the surface never reads as flat. It shifts from deep umber to burnished copper as light moves across it through the day. The client received photo and video updates at every stage of production, from raw material through sculpting, cladding and finishing, so the piece was never out of sight between deposit and delivery.
Material
Bronze, hand-cut mosaic tesserae, individually brazed and hand-polished. Solid black marble plinth.
Dimensions
45 cm L × 45 cm W × 60 cm H. Approximately 35 kg.
Lead Time
60 days from approved design to dispatch. Photo and video updates throughout production.
Delivery
Securely crated and delivered by fully insured air freight, door to door.
From Brief to Delivery
Brief & Ideation
The client's space, intent and constraints are captured, and curated design directions are presented across forms and materials.
Design Approval
Detailed drawings, 3D renders and physical material samples are submitted for sign-off. Nothing is fabricated without approval.
Production
Sculpting, cladding and finishing at our partner atelier, with photo and video quality updates shared at every stage.
Final Inspection
The completed piece is photographed and filmed for the client's inspection and approval before dispatch.
Delivery
Secure crating and fully insured air freight to the client's address, door to door.
Bronze commissions at this scale are confirmed in a fixed proposal before any work begins. Payment is structured in two stages: 50% to confirm the order and 50% on approval of the completed piece, prior to dispatch. Every commission carries a one-year warranty against manufacturing defects; bronze surfaces develop a natural, even patina over time — a characteristic of the material, not a flaw.
Commission Your OwnHow does the design process work for an abstract commission? +
It starts open. We present curated design directions across forms and materials, then refine toward a single concept. Once selected, the client approves detailed drawings, 3D renders and physical material samples before production begins — nothing is fabricated without sign-off.
How is a bronze sculpture shipped safely? +
Every piece is photographed and approved by the client before dispatch, then crated using our approved packaging method and shipped by fully insured air freight, door to door. All commissions are covered against damage or theft in transit.
What does a commission like this cost, and how is payment structured? +
Bronze sculptures at this scale typically fall between USD 8,000 and 12,000, confirmed in a fixed proposal before any work begins. Payment is 50% on order confirmation and 50% on your approval of the finished piece, before delivery is scheduled.
Begin Your Commission
Every 1-OPH piece is designed and fabricated to order — in bronze, marble or stainless steel.
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