wood Archives - Page 4 of 8

Wood Innovations: New Veneer Can Be Sewn Like Fabric

Posted on January 9, 2015 by Jeff Easterling

This quilted material isn’t fabric that’s printed to look like wood – it’s actual wood veneer. The innovative new invention from Berlin-based designers Anastasiya Koshcheeva and Oya-Meryem Yanik is soft enough to be joined with thread rather than glue, and can be used alone or in conjunction with plywood.

The material is called ‘Chester’ and it’s more than just a decorative finish for products like the stool pictured above. The quilting method of joining the layers of soft, moldable plywood creates a cushioned surface.

The resulting product can be cut to size and has potential for use in the furniture, transportation and industrial industries. It’s an interesting new way to look at wood, a product generally perceived as being very solid and inflexible, potentially opening up a whole new realm of possibilities for the material.

“I explore each material’s unique potential, aesthetic features, and haptic qualities in an experimental way and turn my insights into design concepts,” says Koshcheeva. “My work is characterized by the combination of contrasting textures, colors, and skills. I create products with character that have a story and tell it through the design.”

Hello Wood: Students Create Stunning Outdoor Installations

Posted on November 9, 2014 by Jeff Easterling

The possibilities of wood as a primary material for all sorts of applications is explored in a project called ‘Hello Wood,’ an annual event in the fields of Hungary that invites students to create unusual outdoor installations. This year’s theme was ‘playing with balance,’ exploring the interaction of opposite forces. The results are pretty incredible, from an elevated walkway made of criss-crossing lumber to a set of wooden games for kids and adults alike.

‘Cornwalk’ (pictured top) is a ramp that rises above a cornfield to face the point where the sun sets, offering an ideal vantage point. It makes use of a simple repeating A-frame gradually increasing in height. The playground by Architecture Uncomfortable Workshop uses simple wooden objects to create new games, often requiring improvisation on the part of participants.

A project by András Cseh of CZITA Architects makes tongue-in-cheek reference to the opposites of low-tech materials and high-tech concepts by building a ‘wooden spaceship.’

The flexibility of thin strips of wood is put on display with the Mochi installation led by Pep Tornabell of CODA, creating lightweight but self-supporting structures. See all of the entries over at ArchDaily.

Rob Robillard, Wood Geek

Posted on July 30, 2014January 11, 2022 by Jeff Easterling

Carpenter
Editor, AConcordCarpenter.com

How long have you been working with wood?

I’ve been a carpenter since 1993, but have been working with wood since middle school when I fell in love with wood and tools in a shop class.
What is it about wood that you love and appreciate?

What’s not to like? I like the feel, smell, look, and workability of wood.
Favorite wood project?

This is one of my all-time favorite projects we’ve ever done. http://www.aconcordcarpenter.com/how-to-build-an-outdoor-shower.html

Best wood project story?

I just finished working on a timber-framed pool house. We finished the inside all in rough-sawn eastern white pine. Everything from cabinets, doors, changing rooms, and partitions – super fun and a beautiful project when completed.

How To Build Rustic Cabinet Doors

How to Build A Board and Batten Door

Where do you think wood fits into today’s home improvement/building industries?

Wood will never go away for trim, cabinets, built-ins and flooring. In fact, it’s coming back in popularity with architects and designers.

Rob Robillard is a carpenter, and the editor of AConcordCarpenter.com.

Blurring the Boundaries of Wood: Highly Unconventional Interiors

Posted on July 26, 2014 by Jeff Easterling

Who says that wood used as the defining element of an interior has to be confined to the walls, ceiling or floor in any conventional sense? Timber-lined spaces have existed since almost the very beginning of civilization, but for practicality’s sake, we usually keep it simple. But that doesn’t mean we can’t, or shouldn’t, think way beyond the typical when using wood in homes, hotels, museums, shops and other spaces.

The HotelHotel Lobby by March Studio, located in Canberra, Australia, is a prime example of just how creative architects can get with pieces of wood that really aren’t any different from what you’d normally find at a lumber retailer.

“The lobby, designed by March Studio, projects a unique identity through thousands of lengths of repurposed timber, blurring boundaries while directing views and movement,” say the architects. “A grand stair – the stage for performances as much as idle procrastination – leads up to the HotelHotel lobby and bar.”

“In the stair the timber is heavy, grounded, a stacked agglomeration. Freed to scatter up the walls and across the ceiling, the suspended timber filters exterior light and views into and from internal spaces. Spidery, pixellated shadows are cast on the floor and bare walls.”

The result almost feels like an explosion of wood, lights peeking out from among the slats, drawing the eye all around the space. It feels dynamic and exciting.

Want to see more like this? Check out the work of famed Japanese architect, Kengo Kuma.

A Fresh Take on Wood: Architect Kengo Kuma Changes the Game

Posted on June 20, 2014 by Jeff Easterling

Criss-crossing slats, geometric assemblages of beams and latticework that lets in natural light and affords filtered views of the landscape are among the unexpected ways in which famed Japanese architect Kengo Kuma uses the timeless material of wood. Approaching architecture from a gardener’s perspective, Kuma takes issue with designers who seem to be “forcing their compositions onto nature,” setting out to work with it organically instead.

Kuma has produced some of the world’s most striking timber structures, including the Besançon Art Center and Cité de la Musique in France with its checkered composition of wood and glass (below), and the nest-like Sunny Hills, a facade for a dessert shop.

Working with smaller pieces of wood makes these designs more complex than conventional wooden structures, producing a softer effect that pulls in both the Japanese tradition of weaving and the country’s ancient joinery techniques.

For example, Kuma’s Starbucks (pictured top) – located adjacent to one of Japan’s most-visited shrines – is made of 2,000 poles that are woven together diagonally to create a sense of direction and fluidity. With this artistic approach, there’s no way to avoid staring up at the wooden structure and marveling at its beauty.

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.