Robert Emile
Robert Emile
Wrought Iron CollectionRobert Emile monogram

Iron Works

A collection of chairs, stools, benches, sofas, sun loungers, tables and lighting, forged and bent by hand in our Marrakech workshops. Each frame is heated, hammered and finished by one craftsman, so no two pieces are exactly alike.

Workbenches and forged scrolls in the Marrakech workshop
The collections

Eleven families of iron

Each collection shares a line, a joint or a foot. Open one to see every piece, or choose a type of piece above.

Heritage

Iron in the Moroccan house

For centuries the haddad, the Moroccan blacksmith, has worked at the heart of the medina. In Marrakech the smiths still gather around the Souk Haddadine, where the sound of hammers carries through the lanes. Their work is everywhere in the old cities: window grilles, balcony rails, door fittings, lanterns and the gates of riads in Fes, Meknes and Marrakech.

The patterns grew from the same sources as zellige and carved cedar. Andalusian craftsmen brought scrolls, hearts and interlacing curves; Islamic geometry added the grid, the lattice and the repeating star. A window grille was both protection and decoration, letting in light and air while keeping the house private.

These skills are passed from master to apprentice and are learned by hand, not from drawings. As production moves to machines and imported metal, fewer workshops keep them. Every piece in this study is forged by craftsmen in Marrakech using those methods. We take the grids, scrolls and ball finials of the medina and give them new forms, so the craft has work, the apprentices have a trade, and the patterns stay in use in homes today.

The workshop

Forged by hand in Marrakech

Every frame starts as solid bar. It is heated in the forge, bent over jigs and anvils, then joined and dressed by hand. Scrolls, finials and feet are shaped one at a time, which leaves small marks of the hammer on every piece.

Cushions are cut and sewn in Marrakech to fit each frame. Pieces are made to order, and sizes can be adjusted for a specific table, counter or terrace.

Dimensions are given as width × depth × height. Seat heights follow standard dining, counter and bar heights.

Raw chair frames waiting to be finished
Workbenches and forged scrolls in the workshop
Stacks of hand-bent iron scrolls