Detroit-based designer Chris Schanck makes furniture from scraps of wood, metal, and foam, which he wraps in metallic foil and a clear coat of resin. These materials are non-precious (Schanck developed the technique early in his career when he had limited resources) but he combines them to majestic effect.

They are like something out of a comic book: Schanck’s Cryo III would look right at home in Superman’s frozen retreat, the Fortress of Solitude.

In the Grotto, the pieces connect with the historic features of the space. The watery surfaces refer to the nearby indoor fountain – evidence of the 1st Duke of Devonshire’s introduction of running water to the house. The crystalline forms resemble those of Chatsworth’s geological collections, a connection we have emphasized by placing mineral specimens inside Schanck’s cabinet.

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