Suspended Chimney
Caucus Mountains, Russia (2020)
Conceived as the monumental centrepiece of a twelve-metre-high interior space, this suspended chimney and fireplace installation combines architectural engineering, illumination, and sculptural craftsmanship within a single integrated composition. Positioned above a large communal fireplace table, the work was designed as an eight-metre suspended flue descending from the centre of the ceiling towards the fire below. The lower section expands into a monumental eight-sided floral form hovering above the table, creating a powerful sculptural presence while simultaneously functioning as the operational chimney and smoke extraction system for the fireplace beneath.
The suspended chimney structure was constructed around an internal steel framework clad entirely in layers of hand-sawn and hand-engraved 2mm brass incorporating illuminated floral openwork throughout the surface. Both the chimney and the monumental fireplace table beneath were fully backlit, integrating concealed electrical systems that transform the installation into a luminous sculptural presence even when the fire is not lit. The table itself was fabricated entirely in engraved 5mm brass and incorporates the functional fire chamber at its centre, allowing heat and smoke to rise directly into the suspended flue above. Hidden within the structure is a complex motorised lifting mechanism enabling the entire lower four-metre floral section of the chimney to retract upwards into the fixed upper section at the press of a button.
Despite its immense scale and technical complexity, the installation retains a remarkable sense of lightness and theatricality. The illuminated openwork brass surfaces create shifting layers of shadow, translucency, and reflected light throughout the surrounding architecture, while the suspended form appears almost weightless within the vast volume of the room. The concealed movement system transforms the work from a static architectural element into a dynamic sculptural intervention capable of altering the proportions and function of the interior itself, allowing the central space beneath to be opened and reconfigured when required. Balancing fire, movement, illumination, engineering, and ornament within a single unified composition, the work exemplifies Yahya’s approach to transforming technical architectural requirements into immersive sculptural environments through uncompromising hand craftsmanship.
Photography Credit: Emilio Rouach
Suspended Chimney
Caucus Mountains, Russia (2020)
Conceived as the monumental centrepiece of a twelve-metre-high interior space, this suspended chimney and fireplace installation combines architectural engineering, illumination, and sculptural craftsmanship within a single integrated composition. Positioned above a large communal fireplace table, the work was designed as an eight-metre suspended flue descending from the centre of the ceiling towards the fire below. The lower section expands into a monumental eight-sided floral form hovering above the table, creating a powerful sculptural presence while simultaneously functioning as the operational chimney and smoke extraction system for the fireplace beneath.
The suspended chimney structure was constructed around an internal steel framework clad entirely in layers of hand-sawn and hand-engraved 2mm brass incorporating illuminated floral openwork throughout the surface. Both the chimney and the monumental fireplace table beneath were fully backlit, integrating concealed electrical systems that transform the installation into a luminous sculptural presence even when the fire is not lit. The table itself was fabricated entirely in engraved 5mm brass and incorporates the functional fire chamber at its centre, allowing heat and smoke to rise directly into the suspended flue above. Hidden within the structure is a complex motorised lifting mechanism enabling the entire lower four-metre floral section of the chimney to retract upwards into the fixed upper section at the press of a button.
Despite its immense scale and technical complexity, the installation retains a remarkable sense of lightness and theatricality. The illuminated openwork brass surfaces create shifting layers of shadow, translucency, and reflected light throughout the surrounding architecture, while the suspended form appears almost weightless within the vast volume of the room. The concealed movement system transforms the work from a static architectural element into a dynamic sculptural intervention capable of altering the proportions and function of the interior itself, allowing the central space beneath to be opened and reconfigured when required. Balancing fire, movement, illumination, engineering, and ornament within a single unified composition, the work exemplifies Yahya’s approach to transforming technical architectural requirements into immersive sculptural environments through uncompromising hand craftsmanship.