Tag Archives: wood design

This Ethereal Wood-Wrapped House Looks Like Something From a Fairytale

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Designed with the whimsical beauty one can only find in fiction, this literal tree-house features an entire wooden outer facade made of pieces of wood wrapping around each in an organic style almost like the roots of a tree. Dubbed the ‘Wooden Egg’, this wondrous home takes inspiration from nests and how birds have an innate ability to turn wooden twigs into a concave vessel for their eggs to rest in. Playing on that theme, designer Shoaib Sha decided to make a nest-like home with an overall egg shape… with the residents being the baby hatchlings!

Designer: Shoaib Sha

The gentle curves of this elevated residence guide your eyes, revealing the fluidity of its interior spaces. But it’s not just about visual allure; the choice of timber as the primary material serves a dual purpose. Not only does it infuse the residence with a warm and inviting ambiance, but it also rekindles our love for traditional materials like wood in architecture, rejecting the logical, mechanical brutalist approach of concrete and steel.

“Each curve and angle is meticulously crafted to optimize natural light, ventilation, and energy efficiency, enhancing the overall living experience while minimizing environmental impact,” says designer Shoaib Sha. “This residence stands as an abstractive art form of architecture’s potential to elevate the human experience while celebrating the beauty and resilience of the natural world.”

The post This Ethereal Wood-Wrapped House Looks Like Something From a Fairytale first appeared on Yanko Design.

Revisit the ancient art of woodturning with this line of furniture that gives a modern take to traditional design!

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“A different turn,” is a line of furniture pieces created by Koen Boersma from the art of woodturning, an ancient craft that’s Boersma revives through modern design and traditional tools.

The craft of woodturning has been around for centuries, but today, the art is slowly dying out. For as long as it’s been in use, the art of woodturning has varied in form over the years. Only requiring a few woodworking tools, like a lathe and cutters, woodturning can transform wood blocks into an array of different shapes and patterns. Returning to the ancient craft to design their new series of furniture, Koen Boersma created “A different turn,” a line of furniture produced from Boersma’s modern take on woodturning.

Starting out with a rectangular block of wood, Boersma spins each piece into alternating patterns of round and square shapes. Boersma describes the process, “When making this series, the rectangular shape of the starting piece was used, and patterns were developed from this shape.” Spurred by the Netherlands’ specific love for and connection to the craft of woodturning, Boersma turned to traditional tools and cultural building methods for the foundation of “A different turn.”

Beginning with a single, rectangular block of wood, Boersma creates undulating patterns to expose the wood block’s natural, unstained grooves and grains. In showcasing each block of wood’s natural grain, each piece of furniture is unique in its own light. Describing this in their own words, Boersma explains, “The patterns on the straight, black flat sides of the objects flow into the soft, round shapes of the turned away wood. A confluence of the designer’s signature, and the natural beauty of the wood itself.”

Designer: Koen Boersma

The post Revisit the ancient art of woodturning with this line of furniture that gives a modern take to traditional design! first appeared on Yanko Design.

This DIY wooden bicycle is an open source design that makes you think about sustainable living!

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This bicycle made of plywood was created with an intent to get more people to focus on sustainability. The open source design is called ‘Openbike’ and despite the obvious problems that come with a bike made from plywood, it is still an affordable and lightweight alternative to those who want to live on a budget but are also eco-conscious. You can download the files to build your own bike here!

“This is not about bicycles! Open your eyes, this is about you, about your attitude towards the future. Do you think that the pollution of the cities will disappear by itself? Do you think traffic jams are caused by others?” reads the Openbike website which makes the mission statement of the design very clear – they’re not claiming to offer the durability or a thief-proof bike but rather shift your perspective on affordability and sustainability.

The multidisciplinary Spanish design studio wants to reduce carbon emissions in cities by empowering people with technology which is why they made Openbike so that the files can be downloaded and fabricated by anyone in the world. They have been prototyping designs since 2017 and the final version is can be used by anyone, incorporates storage racks to transport goods, and employs a simple construction from widely available materials like off-the-shelf plywood.

Architects Raquel Ares and Iñaki Albistur said, “It is a manifesto on sustainable urbanism, urban transport, distributed manufacturing, shared knowledge, the community, and the responsible use of resources, that materializes in the design of a non-polluting urban transport, the bicycle, that can be manufactured by its own use within the city where it is going to be used.”

To fabricate the bike, you have to download the drawings from their website. Then you can take the drawings to a local digital fabrication workshop where the CNC machine cuts the body of the bicycle from plywood and uses 3D printing for elements such as the saddle, front hub, and hand grips which could also be recycled from old bikes depending on the resources available.

The fabrication files for Openbike are licensed under creative commons 4.0, allowing the designs to be improved, modified, manufactured, and shared again by anyone across the world making it a truly accessible design that only gets better. Based on these principles of open design, Arquimaña encourages further development based on the use of local resources but with global techniques and tools adapted – this way each bike is a little unique, localized but also could be scaled on a global level based on characteristics.

The aim is to empower citizens as a transforming agent, putting technology at their service and prioritizing local production with local resources, which generates active and productive cities, looking to the future from an ecological perspective, trying to reduce carbon emissions to a minimum. The project is part of the global fab city initiative, which challenges cities to produce everything they consume by 2054!

Openbike hopes to offer citizens the necessary methods for manufacturing a non-polluting means of urban transport, the bicycle, by themselves. The project isn’t really about the bike itself, though, but rather the idea that people should think about how they can contribute to a better, more sustainable future.

Designer: Arquimaña

This folding chair is inspired by origami and can be literally hung like clothes on a hanger!

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Chair designs are the first category designers are told to explore because it is simple and yet the smallest of tweaks can make it innovative. Also, let’s accept it – you never get tired of looking at new chair designs! It could be a new material, a bold shape, maybe it has a dual purpose or something like KERF – a space-saving chair that you can literally hang up like clothing!

It can be called a stool or a chair, but KERF gives the otherwise rigid object warmth and flexibility. You can literally put it on a hanger and store it like clothing in a wardrobe which makes it stand out from its counterparts. When needed, simply open the fold and you can get a setup ready for your guests in a few seconds.

The intention was to enrich plywood, make it flexible and fold it like it was paper for origami art. KERF has been designed for small living spaces and for practicality, it is perfect for those living in urban apartments or shared spaces. It reminds me of Japandi style furniture or Scandinavian home decor with its warm and minimal aesthetics.

The unique chair gets its name from the technique of kerfing – it is the method of bending plywood by patterned cutting. It is only good for doing it once to achieve the desired curvature, but not suitable for repetitive, long-term bending because that would cause the veneer layer to crack. The kerfing technique can be optimized for the CNC milling process to save production time and cost.

The mood board for the project shows bending plywood with kerfing, flat-pack laser cut furniture, folding chairs, and interlocking leather belts – all of these come together in the final design as details. The chair us.es kerfing, the hinges are made from leather, it can be compactly packed and it has an origami-like silhoutte.

To make sure it was durable yet flexible, Hamza decided to use thick leather instead of hinges. This detail lets KERF withstand repetitive bending cycles while the alternative hinge (leather) can outlast the traditional hinge making it a piece of furniture that stays with you in the long run (its moving-friendly too!). KERF is definitely a wonderful example of how chairs can be simple while still adding on to the existing form and function!

Designer: Hamza Bavčić

This chair is assembled with a cargo strap – no hardware, screws, no glue, no packaging!

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The TEMP chair has been designed as an eco-focused seating solution that makes use of an unlikely material to blend packaging and assembly into one piece. The chair is made by cutting OSB (oriented strand board) and is assembled by tying a single cargo strap with ratchets. The luggage strap, which can withstand more than 700kg, makes for a super sturdy chair without the use of screws, glue, or any hardware!

OSB is stronger and more waterproof than plywood. It is a versatile, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly alternative manufactured by compressing precisely engineered strands of woods with exterior resins at high temperatures to create an incredibly strong panel.

The cargo strap is also used to wrap the panels effectively reducing packaging for the chair. The five panels that make up the chair can be grouped together, and one panel has a handle, so it can be easily moved while packed.

It is designed to be wider than the existing chair, so you can take a break in various postures, and the lower part of the seat can be used as a storage space.

The reasonably priced OSB has enough strength to make up the chair, and the wood chip pattern makes it hard to see scratches, so it could be shipped without additional packaging.

Joo Hoyoung said, “I ordered plywood cut from a carpentry shop. I tied the cut plywood with a cargo string to bring home. When I came home, I untied the string, put the plywood in the right place, and tied the string again. I am sitting in the chair that has been completed just like that and writing this!” – could it BE any simpler?!

Designer: Joo Hoyoung

This chair is assembled with a cargo strap – no hardware, screws, no glue, no packaging!

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The TEMP chair has been designed as an eco-focused seating solution that makes use of an unlikely material to blend packaging and assembly into one piece. The chair is made by cutting OSB (oriented strand board) and is assembled by tying a single cargo strap with ratchets. The luggage strap, which can withstand more than 700kg, makes for a super sturdy chair without the use of screws, glue, or any hardware!

OSB is stronger and more waterproof than plywood. It is a versatile, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly alternative manufactured by compressing precisely engineered strands of woods with exterior resins at high temperatures to create an incredibly strong panel.

The cargo strap is also used to wrap the panels effectively reducing packaging for the chair. The five panels that make up the chair can be grouped together, and one panel has a handle, so it can be easily moved while packed.

It is designed to be wider than the existing chair, so you can take a break in various postures, and the lower part of the seat can be used as a storage space.

The reasonably priced OSB has enough strength to make up the chair, and the wood chip pattern makes it hard to see scratches, so it could be shipped without additional packaging.

Joo Hoyoung said, “I ordered plywood cut from a carpentry shop. I tied the cut plywood with a cargo string to bring home. When I came home, I untied the string, put the plywood in the right place, and tied the string again. I am sitting in the chair that has been completed just like that and writing this!” – could it BE any simpler?!

Designer: Joo Hoyoung

This wooden treehouse is constructed without a tree to minimize environmental impact & maximize adventure!

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Normalize adults living and chilling in treehouses because we are certainly going through a lot more than children and this is the escape we need! Cassiopeia is one such shelter that every grown-up dreams of having, it is a treehouse that was born in a garden without a tree for us to disconnect from the virtual world. It has multiple levels, a fire-man pole, a slide, a swing, a zip-line, a net bed, monkey bars and a climbing wall in sculptural form with legs that grow in the garden!

It has utmost privacy and was constructed with a very low impact on the territory. Cassiopeia is a playground for kids at its core but has been designed to provide the same nostalgia and whimsy for adults too. It seeks to touch the ground lightly through clever architectural design and woodworking which also ensures that it is durable and environmentally sustainable.

The contemporary treehouse aims to blend into its surroundings while providing a sanctuary for adults and kids to escape the monotony of everyday life. Especially since the pandemic, people are avoiding public spaces which restrict outdoor activities but Cassiopeia brings that adventure back to your backyard!

Cassiopeia, in astronomy, is a constellation of the northern sky easily recognized by a group of five bright stars forming a slightly irregular W. The multi-level playground is a privileged place to watch the complexity of the universe through the telescope lens.

The foundation of the treehouse is the invisible metal ground screws that give support to columns and beams. “At the top of it, we built the skeleton (interior frame) that receives the skin (walls and roof) that are built with CLT panels painted black that receive a horizontal slatted wood system that follows the treehouse shape,” adds the team.

This project highlights Madeiguincho’s combined heritage of both architecture and carpentry. The Portugal-based studio retains the charm of a traditional treehouse with the warm wooden aesthetic but brings modern architecture into play without needing a tree in the first place. The angular shape, systems for multiple activities, large windows and doors truly encourage us to take a break, play and bring back the innocent joy from our childhood.

Designer: Madeiguincho

This minimal desk’s special design element is inspired by pianos!

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I played piano for a decade and I was so used to reading with my book upright on the music shelf (the little fold-out flap where you keep your music sheet) that I started to keep my textbooks for school upright too – it just felt more convenient! The Piano desk gives that traditional design a nod by incorporating it into your familiar wooden desk with some additional inspiration from the Standard chair by Jean Prouvé that elevates the minimal piece.

The Piano desk created so the designer could experiment with a hybrid material selection and play with interesting visual contrasts. On the one hand, we have metal which is a cold material that is beautifully balanced by the warmer wood. On the other hand, the same metal which allows for a slimmer silhouette is given the sturdiness with the addition of wood. The key factor in the briefing was to design a product with a democratic approach. That is how the minimal desk without any complex production processes was born while still featuring a small design element that other minimal desks didn’t have – the dipped shelf!

It has rounded corners on both wooden and metallic parts which smoothly connects both shapes and materials visually. The choice of discarding drawers led to a different conceptual solution that came from looking at the way some piano players hold their music notes, hence the name. The metal stand is perfect to hold books and documents and it is a fair substitute for the drawer in some cases. You can also add some decor like a succulent or your favorite bobblehead! The Piano desk is perfect for your home office with its pleasing CMF, evergreen character, and improving its integration within the space in the most eloquent way.

Designer: João Teixeira

This wooden cabin comes in a flat-pack DIY kit so you can assemble your own tiny holiday home!

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Cabin-design company Den has launched a flat-packed, kit-of-parts for a steeply pitched cabin, known as an A-frame, that can be assembled in just a few days.

The 115-square-foot (10.68-square-metre) Den Cabin Kit has slanted wooden walls with a large triangular window. It is designed to be an ideal guest house, yoga studio or study.

Prefabricated in New York, the kit has pre-drilled holes and includes everything from the wooden structural parts that lock together, to bolts and even door hardware – details Den said make the project stand out from other flat-packed structures.

“Under the hood – or roof, ha – we have components that are cut with CNC precision, a design that slots together intuitively, and a kit so complete even the door hardware is included so you won’t need to make any trips to the hardware store,” the New York-based team told Dezeen.

“The cabin bolts and screws together and all the holes are pre-drilled making for fast assembly.”

Den Cabin Kit is designed to be built with minimal equipment including a ratchet set, a power drill, a ladder, step ladder and a staple gun. Flat-packed materials arrive stacked according to the order in which they are needed during the build, as part of an ambition to make construction as easy as possible.

“If you don’t have any construction experience you can certainly make up for it with tenacity, and a few friends to help you with the job,” Den explained.”Building something even as easy as this still requires some hutzpah mind you,” the company added. “You need to be comfortable on a ladder a story off the ground to set the ridge cap and screw in the roofing panels, and you and your friends (or team) need to be careful with the large windows while setting them in place.”

Den suggests novice builders employ a contractor to bolster the structure if it is being built on a sloped site, or in an area with harsher weather, and also to help set foundations – which it likens to the same basic requirements as a shed. The cabin is intended to touch the ground lightly so it can be disassembled and rebuilt elsewhere, and constructed without nails for the same reason.

Despite its light touch, the team said the cabin is still robust and well-insulated in harsh weather conditions. “Even though it’s ‘semi-permanent’ in this regard it’s no less a building and can withstand the harshest elements, with four-season compatibility,” it explained.

Owners can choose from three types of exterior cladding: either black Forest and silver Alpine metal or cedar shingles. They can also add a propane heater provided by Den.

Designer: Den

This Minimalist Chess + Checkers Set Will Be the Centerpiece of Your Board-Game Collection

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With such a classic — instantly recognizable design – how does one reimagine the visual aesthetic of a chessboard? There are chess piece sets modeled after skyscrapers, popular TV characters, mythical creatures, abstract shapes, etc. Many board game creators have experimented with new chess board designs, but this chess + checkers set stands out from the crowd, despite the competition in its arena.

What makes the Origins Check – Chess Set different from other interpretations of this classic game design? The set as a whole encapsulates an elegant, minimalistic aesthetic, but the pièce(s) de résistance are the chess figurines themselves. The characters take on simplistic, abstract profiles that represent each piece’s role or how they would move across the board. For instance, the knights are cut into L shapes to indicate their directional movements. The pawns’ roles are reflected in the simplicity of their shape: just rectangular blocks – which can also double as checkers pieces. The abstract nature of this design may alienate beginners, who might not be as familiar with the pieces. However, one could argue that a novice chess player may not want this particular board set in the first place due to the price tag.

From a craftsmanship perspective, the Origins chess set is a beautiful example of woodworking. The box and boards are available in four species of wood, Eastern Maple, White Ash, White Oak, and Black Walnut. It is a stripped-down, simple design, but unique among existing chess sets … one that would be a subtle eye-catcher in a chess lover’s collection.

Designer: Origins

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