Keystone
Inspired by the work of New York based artist and designer Tom Gerhardt, this project aims to personalize the experience of coming home by re-evaluating the physical form of the humble house key. Keys are dichotomous in nature; they harbor unique patterns of hills and valleys that look all but identical to the untrained eye. To draw more attention to these subtle differences the conventional design of the key has been augmented through the addition of simple stone grip. This rock handle is designed to reverberate the idiosyncrasies of each key via more prominent variations in size, shape, colour and texture. The feeling of the stone is particularly important to this process, as unlike the cold uniformity of metal, the natural feeling of stone invites its owner to become familiar with its surface and all its secrets. Additionally, the increased size and weight of the pebble also acts as a more pervasive reminder of home than the thin metal of a traditional key.