Humans have a long history with timber and as modern society spends more and more time indoors, this relationship has changed. Our love of nature and our need to connect is becoming more and more difficult to build into each day, with Australians spending significant parts of their time indoors.
According to some key findings by Planet Ark1, research has shown that the use of natural elements (like wood) in the interior of a building, produce similar effects to those created by spending time outside in nature. Further, the research shows that this can provide physiological and psychological benefits.
Most people are aware that wood is versatile, recyclable, renewable and long lasting. What people may not realise is that by using wood, when compared to other materials such as steel and concrete, less carbon emissions are created during production. Wood also appeals to our tactile nature, making us feel warm and cosy. Its construction is also visually appealing and new technologies have allowed designers to create beautiful and extraordinary furniture pieces.
You may never have considered this, but not all designs on paper can find a life in tangible reality. Many designers create a product that’s aesthetically pleasing and theoretically superior in comfort and function. However, unless there are materials and methods that can be manipulated into the form that has been designed, the furniture will never appear.
This is particularly true for timber, and manufacturing firms invest heavily in machinery to create pieces that cannot be created by hand efficiently. Over time, these machines have become more and more sophisticated, requiring investments in the millions of dollars to develop the technology that can make certain designs a reality.
These machines also focus on reducing waste, allowing sophisticated patterns to be cut in precision. Additionally, by aiming to use a single piece of timber, strength is added to the design, limiting potential weak spots and gaps. One such design is the Branca Chair by Mattiazzi, where the arms and seat of the chair are created from a single piece of timber.
Designed by Sam Hecht / Industrial Facility for Mattiazzi Furniture in Italy, the Branca Chair has seamless joints. Partially created robotically, the chair is hand finished at the final assembly to fully demonstrate its organic and natural timber construction.
Perhaps most interestingly, the design by Hecht was on hold for several years until the technology caught up! Fortunately, the company Mattiazzi prides itself on heavily investing in environmental and technological advances, and the Branca Chair materialised.
Rather than start with a computer to create the design, Hecht started with simple blocks of wood that were shaped and gradually refined. Once satisfied, the idea was digitised into language computers could understand. In the following video, “The making of Mattiazzi Branca Chair”, Hecht points out “that when you’re sitting on the Branca, feeling it with your hands and your body, you don’t feel as though it was computer generated….”.
Whilst our lifestyles move us further away from our desire to connect to nature, ironically, technology is allowing us to reconnect in new and exciting ways as we instinctively react to the feelings of warmth and comfort that timber provides.
Whilst robotics can help produce hand crafted items for the masses, other examples of handcrafted timber are displayed in a more traditional way. One such example is the Stella Chair by Studio Pip.
Elegantly crafted in either American oak or Tasmanian Oak wood, the Stella Armchair is made from timber supplied from certified sustainable forests (FSC), and to the highest quality standards attainable. Designed and made in Australia, procuring the Stella Armchair is an easy way to help improve your ‘feel good’ collection of ‘Nature Connected Design’ by acclaimed Australian designers.
Indeed, the sustainability of timber is certainly behind our ancient connection with timber. Not all timbers are ideal for furniture making and different craftsmen will have different preferences, depending on their style of design. One of Studio Pip’s most outstanding pieces uses American White Oak for its consistent properties of colour and form. This is necessary when creating detail within the design, just as Studio Pip has done with the leg and table top feature of the Finn Table.
These photos illustrate how the Finn tabletop appears to almost hover over the frame, and this contrasts with the anchoring of its sturdy base. Displaying the perfect combination of eternal timber beauty and the robust practicality required for everyday use, the table is available in five different sizes, thoughtfully designed for optimum chair placement. Additionally, American Oak is durable and versatile, accepting a wide range of finishes, allowing the Finn Table to be presented in many different seals or colour washes. This bespoke woodwork has been achieved only by mastering traditional techniques passed along by the finest furniture makers.
Remembering the resilience of timber is to understand its requirement for very little maintenance. Solid wood furniture can withstand constant use and abuse, whether it’s spills in the kitchen or scratches on the boardroom table. By understanding the true nature of timber, fine quality furniture of the highest standard is impeccably produced. These items last for generations with minimum care, even obtaining more character along the way!
By using timber as a material of choice in your home, you can help bridge the gap and create a connection with the natural world. The entire table and chair range of Studio Pip furniture uses timber that is beautifully smooth to the touch and also hard wearing. Hand finished items that are made to order have made this Australian brand one to watch.
Whatever you choose, it’s clear that there are multiple benefits when choosing furniture made of natural elements for your interiors. The furniture you choose on which to work, rest and play can help create positive and healthy environments, and reward designers that seek authentic and sustainable creations of their designs. Our Alexandria Showroom has a a wide selection of timber furniture on display.
Timber. It’s good for you!
1 From the abbreviated version of the Planet Ark report Wood – Nature Inspired Design, published on 21st March 2017.
