Material Expressions

Drawing on geological formations and natural processes, we speak with Jessie French about the collaboration and material experimentation behind its creation.

Can you introduce Sill and share how the collaboration between Armadillo and Jessie French first came about?

The collaboration grew from conversations with the Armadillo team, including founders Jodie Fried and Sally Pottharst, about the way our respective practices work. There was a lot of shared thinking, particularly around impact and craft, and we had long admired the way Armadillo has been built. From there, the conversation naturally evolved into an opportunity to create something together. 

Sill draws on the language of geological formations and natural processes. How did these influences shape the concept and visual expression of the piece? 

My research process often considers the origins of materials through the lens of deep history. For this series of work, I began by looking at quarried stone, which can be composed of fossilised marine organisms transformed over hundreds of millions of years. 

There is an interesting material connection to the algae-based polymer developed by our studio and used to make the work. Limestone, for example, can also be formed from marine life that includes algae. It creates a link to the same organism being used in vastly different ways, while allowing us to visually echo patterning formed over millions of years. 

The veins, flows and markings found in stone represent geological changes over time. For the room divider, I was interested in the form of a geological sill, created where magma moves through weaknesses in surrounding rock strata. This became an inspiration for the piece, with patterning flowing across the individual panels to create visual connections.
 

Sill was created in response to Armadillo’s Meridian Collection. Which elements of the collection provided the strongest creative starting point for the work? 

The Selva rug was an important reference, both for its colouring and the way its weave visually intersects at junction points. This echoes the way larger kilims were traditionally woven in strips according to the size of the loom and then joined together. 

The colours within the collection also became a starting point for our exploration and informed the initial references used to develop the colour formulations for Sill. 

Materiality is central to Sill, particularly through the use of hand-poured MarbleWood. Can you tell us about this material and what makes its appearance and making process so distinctive? 

MarbleWood applies material processes developed within our practice to timber substrates, using hand-poured patterning that references quarried stone. The surfaces are then sealed for permanence and can be applied to furniture and interiors in a variety of ways. 

What makes the patterning distinctive is that it is formed through liquid, which has similarities to the processes that create patterns within natural rock formations. For Sill, we sampled mineral pigments to develop colours that reflected the Meridian Collection before considering how each panel would work as part of the overall composition. 

The actual pour is highly choreographed. We have less than a minute to work with the material, so ratios, force, movement and the interaction of each colour all play a role. Once poured, each panel is cured, its edges finished and the surface sealed before being assembled within the metal frame.

Armadillo and Jessie French Studio share an interest in thoughtful material choices, craftsmanship and longevity. How did these shared values shape the collaboration and the final piece? 

There was so much shared thinking in the way our practices work. Armadillo approached us with the opportunity to create a work we genuinely wanted to make, which is such a rare proposition. 

The collaboration came together through that mutual respect, and we were given a great deal of freedom to create something new in conversation with the Meridian Collection. 

Sill is also the first piece of furniture we have produced in-house, making the commission particularly special for our studio. It is the kind of work we would love to explore further, whether through future brand collaborations or direct commissions for bespoke interior features. 

LEARN MORE: https://jessiefrench.com/sill,-2026