40 | Sector Focus: North America
“There’s an irrefutable environmental case for utilising a wider selection of timber and we made that from the outset,” said Mr Venables. “We have to accept what the forest provides, rather than keep consuming more of the same few species.”
AHEC also supplied the designers timber samples processed and finished in multiple ways so they did not feel constrained by how the species had been used before. “And they rose to the occasion,” said Mr
Venables. “They used the wood natural, oiled stained, painted and lacquered. Some used one species, others a blend, or combined the timber with other materials.”
◄ “The participants’ enthusiasm blew us away and the outcomes would have been exceptional at any time,” said European director David Venables. “In the prevailing circumstances, they’re extraordinary.” Some of the lessons learned and communication strategies adopted in a “difficult but exhilarating year” he added would also affect AHEC’s approach for good. The first initiative of 2020 was called Connected for a number of reasons. Launched early in the crisis, it was very much a response to the new limitations on people’s lives and work. It brought together nine designers in nine countries, eight in Europe, one in Japan. Working in lockdown, they were selected and connected remotely by AHEC and its partner on the project, the London Design Museum, and tasked with designing seating and tables they’d like to live with themselves. It was about connecting design to the times; creating furniture for the live-work spaces homes became in lockdown, plus responding to concerns about climate crisis and home health; using wood as a natural, low carbon material with increasingly appreciated well-being benefits.
The other connection was with UK furniture Top: Jaime Hayon’s Smile Stool from Connected
Above: Components for the Enric Miralles furniture
Opposite top: Alessandra Fumagalli Romario design sketches for Discovered
Opposite centre: AHEC’s new combined species guide
Opposite bottom:Taking a close look at Maria Brun’s maple desk/table at the Connected exhibition
TTJ | May/June 2021 |
www.ttjonline.com
maker Benchmark. It brought the designs to reality, communicating with designers through the manufacturing process via FaceTime, Skype and Zoom. The species used were cherry, hard and soft maple and red oak. The choice was in line with AHEC’s objective to encourage specifiers to select from across the US hardwood resource to ensure its long-term sustainability. While these three species have been less favoured by European designers of late, they account for around 40% of the American forest.
Benchmark also demonstrated the timber’s machining characteristics. “It was subjected to numerous processes; from hand crafting to state-of-the-art CNC machining,” said Mr Venables. “It showed how these hardwoods enable designers to respond individually to a brief, not just aesthetically, but technically, and how, by combining material, creativity, skill and technology, anything is possible.” The designers said they found the experience inspiring.
UK-based Heatherwick Design created Stem, an organically curving turned maple and glass desk and seating informed by biophillic design. “Connected showed what can be achieved in terms of design that responds to relevant issues,” said project leader Tom Glover. “Also, we hadn’t used maple much previously and weren’t aware it was so abundant.”
Danish designer Maria Brun created a maple desk/table and stools that could be stacked away to make most versatile use of space. “It’s exciting to know we can still create even in difficult circumstances,” she said. “AHEC’s message to use wood according to what the forest provides also added another perspective.”
AHEC was able to mount the Connected exhibition at the London Design Museum in October between lockdowns. It also took four of the creations to February’s Madrid Design Festival and hopes to tour them elsewhere. But, with opportunities for live events still limited, it also backed the project with ambitious digital communication, including a 3D virtual exhibition, designer interviews and video of the design and making process.
“This really accelerated development of our social and digital media capabilities,” said Mr Venables. “We’ve connected with such a wide audience in such a vital, immediate way, potentially taking our under-used timber species story to millions. The experience will definitely shape our communications going forward.”
One very tangible piece of evidence of this new level of market contact has been enquiries about the ‘Smile Stool’, which formed part of Spanish designer Jaime
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85
