Spinneybeck’s Design 402 Revives Celebrated Sculptor Erwin Hauer’s Bas Relief Tile Designs

In the mid 1960’s, Erwin Hauer developed bas relief tiles, produced for a short time only. But, in 2007, the Interior Design Hall of Fame member considered a reissue. “First we needed to overcome the grid pattern formed by the square tile boundaries, which interfere with observation of the design’s actual lines,” Enrique Rosado recalls. Rosado is the late sculptor’s protégé who now heads up Erwin Hauer Studios. Prototypes were CNC-milled from gypsum plaster, Hauer’s medium of choice. Then Spinneybeck brought the project to fruition with Design 402. The six fluted shapes come in three sizes and, once installed, appear to transform as you get closer. A white primer coating is the standard finish, but the gypsum can be colored on-site with any commercial latex paint.