ORCA
Oregon / California
Sun Valley Bronze is proud to collaborate with ORCA on the Orca Gate Latch.
ORCA is a landscape design and outdoor product studio based in Los Angeles that uses plants and natural materials in their rawest form. ORCA's mission is to bring poetry to the construction of a landscape with beautiful and functional outdoor products.
ORCA
Gate Latch Passage Set
In collaboration with Sun Valley Bronze, ORCA created this beautifully handmade gatelatch — a small yet striking example of nature, craft, and design in harmony.
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The hardware is what we touch. It is the access to what is on the other side of the door that it keeps closed. Materials that we touch are the most important to our senses and experience. That’s why using raw, substantial brass and bronze is one of the most wonderful experiences.
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The material finishes are critical to the overall feel of a landscape. When something is made using a material that is unnatural or for instance with hardware, powder coated, it doesn’t blend organically in the garden. Materials also have a visual weight to them, and using pieces that are proportional to the space is important.
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We like to look at the architecture first, and what cues we can take from the siding, door framing, windows, or even gutters. Then, we look at the hardscape and softscape tones. If the leaves are deep green with elements of blue/gray tones, we like to use silver hardware. If the plant material is warm (which is very common in California), we like to incorporate raw brass.
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Buy it once with intention, then let it patina.
Using temporary hardware will only lead to functional frustration down the road. The worst feeling is your entry gate sagging, or your hardware showing signs of paint chipping because it isn’t a living material.