SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH—3form, a design-driven materials solutions company known for its commitment to innovation, sustainability and craftsmanship, unveils Parallel, a new collection of linear patterns inspired by the familiar look of reeded and textured glass. Designed as a more cost-conscious alternative to traditional glass applications, Parallel brings that aesthetic to 3form’s flagship Varia material platform, offering designers a lighter, more durable and fabrication-friendly option that expands creative possibilities.
Anchored by four patterns, Cadence, Fino, Vista and Tribeca, Parallel brings linear texture and visual depth to a range of commercial applications, from standalone partitions and office fronts to ceiling and wall features. Each pattern varies in light refraction, object obscurity, depth and translucency, allowing designers to select the right level of privacy and light for each application while maintaining a cohesive look.
Across all four patterns, Parallel creates a distinct optical effect as light passes through and behind each panel. The vertical texture gently refracts and warps light and shadow, creating a dynamic visual experience that shifts depending on viewing angle, surrounding light and the scene beyond. The background becomes an intriguing, softly distorted composition, making light, movement and the surrounding environment integral to the design.
“Reeded glass has a quiet familiarity to it, a texture designers have trusted for decades because it simply and generously gives you privacy without taking away natural light,” said Ryan Smith, Chief Creative Officer at 3form. “Parallel retains that feeling but frees it from the limitations of glass. When you can shape it, suspend it, and bring it into places traditional glass would be challenging to integrate, that familiar texture begins to feel new again.”
Four Linear Textures, Four Distinct Optical Effects
Each of Parallel’s four simple yet engaging patterns possesses its own visual character, showcasing how much interest a restrained line can bring to a space as depth, spacing and rhythm shift.
The collection is available in a Clear colorway, and any pattern can be further customized with color for increased personalization. The possibilities span the soft blues, greens and neutrals of antique glass to bolder hues that emphasize each pattern’s individual character and increase privacy, allowing designers to carry a cohesive color and texture statement throughout a space.
Parallel’s four patterns include:
- Cadence is named for its rhythmic texture. With a ½” repeat that is ⅛” deep, the pattern creates a double-vision-like effect reminiscent of blinds or shades.
- Fino features fine micro-ripples with a ⅛” linear repeat and 0.5mm-deep grooves, producing a subtle moiré effect.
- Vista incorporates a 12mm undulating repeat set at 1mm depth, creating a small ripple effect that gently diffuses light across the surface.
- Tribeca is the collection’s dual-sided offering. Created with linear textures rotated against one another, its 2” front repeat and 1” back repeat, each 1mm deep, combine into a tartan-like texture that provides the highest level of visual privacy in the collection.
All four Parallel patterns are available in Varia, with Tribeca also offered in etched glass. Select Parallel patterns also coordinate with complementary textures across 3form Glass, Sola Felt and Profile, giving designers the ability to carry a consistent linear design language across multiple material platforms while simplifying specification and ordering.
“Parallel brings a lot of personality to a straight line,” adds Dax Pettibone, Designer at 3form. “None of the four patterns are consciously trying to be loud, and yet any of them can become the moment in a room, which gives the collection a timeless, sophisticated and subtly confident quality.”
Engineered for Flexibility Across Commercial Environments
By translating the look of reeded and textured glass into Varia, Parallel expands the ways designers can use linear texture throughout commercial interiors. The material can be cut, shaped, and suspended with minimal hardware, giving designers greater flexibility across a range of architectural applications.
The textures were also engineered to maintain their visual integrity when heat-formed, allowing for more dimensional applications without compromising their appearance. The collection softly diffuses natural light while providing visual separation, making it well suited for high-traffic environments including workplace, healthcare, hospitality and education.
To learn more about Parallel and 3form, visit 3-form.com.
