modern Archives - Page 5 of 6

Traditional Craftsmanship Meets Modern Furniture with Notched Designs

Posted on May 6, 2014 by Jeff Easterling

Creating wooden furniture that fits together without the need for glue is a longstanding tradition across all sorts of cultures and styles, requiring a high level of craftsmanship and skill. Traditional woodworking joinery, like dovetails, tongue-and-groove and mortise-and-tenon, can be even more durable than joints that rely on fasteners and adhesives.

Some modern furniture makers are returning to these traditions for beautiful, high-quality products that still have a fresh, contemporary feel. Designer Ania Wolowska named the ‘Ban Table‘ after famed Japanese architect Shigeru Ban, known for his ingenious buildings and other structures that fit together using similar techniques.

The table is specifically designed to bring attention to these joints, highlighting their beauty. Says the designer, “In this method of construction, pieces are put together with a basic technique that uses wooden joints, producing a highly pleasing table with excellent stability.”

The table is collapsible for easy packing and transport, reducing its environmental impact. It’s handmade by master carpenters in Bacalar, Mexico.

Gorgeous Pine Wood Panels in a Geometric Modern Interior

Posted on March 7, 2014 by Jeff Easterling

Naturally finished tongue-and-groove pine wood plays against modern shapes and bright white paint in this refreshing interior design by i29 Architects. Most people associate pine paneling with more rustic applications, like cabins, but the beauty of the wood is perfectly offset by strong angles and bold colors in more contemporary settings.

In this case, the designers created a space that features solid wood planks on an accent wall which is glimpsed through the architectural cut-outs in a white central volume that acts as both a room divider and a large built-in cabinet for hidden storage.

The geometric shapes offer a peek inside these cabinets – just enough to see the spines of books and edges of plates, adding some visual interest while keeping clutter at bay.

The pine accent wall continues from the ground floor up to the second level, providing a sense of continuity. The warmth of the wood brings a little character and a sense of comfort into what could otherwise be an overly cold-feeling space.

Modern Wooden Architecture: Complex Lattice Shop Facade

Posted on March 4, 2014 by Jeff Easterling

Architects continue to use wood in new and unexpected ways, integrating it into both interiors and exteriors as far more than just framing or decorative elements. This example by Kengo Kuma might be one of the most unexpected yet: a complex wooden lattice reminiscent of a basket, added to the exterior of a dessert shop in Japan.

The architect wanted to create the feel of a forest in the middle of the busy city with the interwoven wooden slats. Though the effect may be thoroughly modern, the technique used to create it is an ancient Japanese handicraft passed down between woodworkers and artisans called ‘Jiigokugumi.’ This method joins the slats without the use of glue or nails.

The latticework continues into the interior of the shop, set off by dark-painted walls and complemented by geometric wooden tabletops. While the screen certainly makes a big visual statement, it also serves the practical purpose of providing a little privacy and shade from the sun.

Check out more novel uses of wood in modern architecture.

Modern White Pine: Stacked Wood-Clad Boxes with a View

Posted on February 25, 2014 by Jeff Easterling

Wall surfaces clad in white pine inside and out give this modern residence a clean, streamlined yet cozy and welcoming atmosphere. The Weinfelden House is positioned to the south for optimal views of the mountains in Switzerland and Austrla, designed as a series of stacked boxes that enable upper-level terraces looking out over the valley.

Stacking these volumes so that some areas are cantilevered makes the home seem to float over the sloping landscape, and create a series of voids and open spaces that play with light and shadow. The rectilinear shape provides opportunities for not just one but two wrap-around indoor/outdoor spaces leading to the glass-walled living areas.

Locally grown and processed white pine gives the home an organic appearance despite its sharp angles. Applying the pale pine siding both to the exterior and interior walls provides a sense of continuity, a fresh and simple backdrop set off perfectly with crisp black and white.

Cabin Mansion: Wooden Residential Architecture on a Large Scale

Posted on February 21, 2014 by Jeff Easterling

If the phrase ‘wooden architecture’ makes you think of modest cabins in the woods, maybe these photos of an incredible wooden mansion will change your perception. Spacious, luxurious and thoroughly modern, ‘Martis Camp House’ by Swaback Partners near Lake Tahoe, California proves that wood can go far outside the box with unexpected applications.

Imagine what this luxury home would look like if it were made of concrete instead of wood. The wood siding gives it a warm and welcoming feel and extra visual interest that complements stone and copper elements to perfection.

The architects characterize this residence as “a home for the high Sierra’s that does not fall in line with the traditional regional architecture that mostly is a dark and heavy composition. Instead, the concept was to celebrate the light and airy feeling of snow and the effects it can bring to the interiors.”

Of course, using wood siding on a modern house of these proportions is far from the only way to incorporate wood into larger-scale architecture. More and more modern buildings are getting a facelift from wood facades, while architects make plans for all-wood skyscrapers.

Modern Eastern White Pine Flooring: Beauty, Charm and Versatility

Posted on October 9, 2013 by Jeff Easterling

Because of its rustic aesthetic in its natural state, Eastern White Pine is often preferred for historic, country or casual applications in residential and commercial projects. But this versatile softwood works beautifully in modern architecture as well, including luxury settings, where its soft grain and smooth finish enables it to be fully transformed to fit the designer’s vision for a space. Ebony and Co. is just one company offering Eastern White Pine flooring for high-end applications where sustainability is a top priority.

Pictured here with a distressed finish in ebony and white in an attic space, Eastern White Pine is a flooring option that can easily conform to any number of aesthetics depending on how you choose to finish it. It’s available in a variety of grades, from the smoothest and clearest to ‘hit or miss’ (seen here), a rougher grade produced by mimicking the milling techniques of watermills along riverways that once sawed pine logs into boards, occasionally skipping along the surface of the wood.

In fact, as many as 23 different wood characteristics and machining imperfections determine the grade of an Eastern White Pine board. These might include knots, knife marks, splits and raised grain. The overall look of a project has a lot to do with which grade is chosen.

Find a retailer of Eastern White Pine products through Nelma.org.