Aluminum Furniture for Shopping District | Tactile Materials

Tactile Materials is an international company dedicated to the supply and production of customized metal cladding for architectural endeavors. The materials, finishes, and technologies developed by Tactile Materials are available for innovative projects in public design, such as the urban furniture for this shopping district in Houston.

A key component of place-making is the presence of inviting and durable public furnishings. Tactile draws from the other products and technologies of the company to offer public furnishings with innovative materials.

River Oaks is a destination luxury shopping district featuring high-end international brands. The Tactile Public Furnishings double as 20 large 4000 mm (12’0”) sculptural art pieces as well as benches for customers to take in the landscaped retail environment. Given the high temperatures in Houston, the seating contact surfaces of the benches are coated with Tactile Sensory Coating which mitigates the hot surface transfer to the touch. The design of the benches and the bright red gloss color complement the soft landscaping and hard surfaces. Tactile's precision engineering, fabrication, coating system, and assembly ensure long-term performance and durability.

The company collaborated with Burton Landscape Studio in the design, engineering, and production of mockups and 20 Tactile Public Furnishings Benches comprised of Tactile Formed Aluminum, Tactile Sensory Coating, and Tactile High-Performance Finish. In addition, Tactile provided Install-Assist to support the layout, assembly, and installation of their public furnishings.