christian & jade's rocking furniture examines wood weight through play, balance and motion

Weight of Wood by Christian & Jade

For this year’s Mindcraft Project, ten creatives and makers from Denmark unveiled their explorative creations; all centered around the concept of our connection with nature. Visitors can explore each installation through the Mindcraft Project’s virtual exhibition, navigate through it, and engage with the artwork. In addition to the established digital display, this year’s event also featured a one-day physical exhibition in Copenhagen, allowing visitors to meet the designers and experience the work in person. designboom attended the event, strolled through the creative pieces, and talked with the designers. Next to the colorful rain forest by Marianne Eriksen Scott-Hansen, the pink installation by Sia Hurtigkarl, and the breathing sculptures by Yukari Hotta sat Christian and Jade’s Weight of Wood project. Three pieces, including a rocking chair, a rocking horse, and a seesaw, delve into the fascinating world of wood, playing with weight, balance, and movement.

all images by Anders Sune Berg, unless stated otherwise

Challenging Equilibrium in Furniture

Through the Weight of Wood, the creative duo sought to reimagine traditional furniture archetypes by exploring the weight and density of different wood species. Each piece of furniture combines two species of wood, such as oak, douglas, ash, or pine, to showcase differences in texture and structure, as well as qualities that aren’t immediately visible. The project challenges preconceived notions of equilibrium within these furniture forms, as the varying weights of each wood species disrupt their balance when combined. ‘The pieces explore the hidden life and narratives behind the wood, including the wood weight and density. By diving into the weight of a single plank of wood, we can discover so much about a piece of wood, from its personality to where it comes from,’ Christian & Jade described to designboom. The project’s three pieces of furniture were first introduced as part of a larger installation and research work during an event called 3 Days of Design in Copenhagen. In collaboration with Danish flooring company Dinesen, these pieces were presented alongside smaller experiments that examine the principles and qualities of different wood species. The year-long exploration focused on one of wood’s most defining characteristics — density. The choice of furniture that required movement and balance, such as rocking chairs and seesaws, was intentional to allow people to experience wood’s weight through play, touch and motion.

the series includes a rocking chair, a rocking horse, and a seesaw

The Design Philosophy of Christian & Jade

Christian and Jade, a design duo based in Copenhagen, have a strong emphasis on materials and the processes of extracting and shaping them. Their work revolves around deepening the relationships between individuals, objects, and the spaces they inhabit. Their cultural backgrounds, with Jade hailing from Singapore and Christian from Denmark, provide a dynamic perspective that leads to work grounded in the present while looking ahead to the future. ‘We believe that if people can see the materials and objects around them – not just as commodities to be consumed, but naturally sourced resources that have passed through many hands to get to where they are, we can start developing different relationships with them,’ they explained. Christian and Jade’s creative process often revolves around curiosity about materials, either by exploring their craft and techniques or delving into their origins and context as resources. ‘Our work is focused on telling stories around objects and materials, as we think that this is a way to bring us closer to the things around us and the spaces we inhabit.’

each piece of furniture utilizes two species of wood: oak, Douglas, ash, or pine, with various combinations

each piece bridges the gap between the life of a tree and wood as a commodity

image by Benjamin Lund

it serves as a reminder of the beauty, complexity, and enduring appeal of wood as a material in our everyday lives

portrait of Christian & Jade with their artwork at the Mindcraft Project’s physical exhibition, image by designboom

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image by Benjamin Lund

image by Benjamin Lund

image by Benjamin Lund

image by Benjamin Lund

image by Benjamin Lund

image by Benjamin Lund

image by Benjamin Lund

image by Benjamin Lund

image by Benjamin Lund

 

image by Benjamin Lund

project info:

name: Weight of Wood

architects: Christian & Jade | @christianandjade (Christian Hammer Juhl and Jade Chan)

event: the Mindcraft Project 2023 | @mindcraftproject

materials and dimensions:
Rocking chair, Pine, oak, 120 x 102 x 55 cm
Rocking horse, Douglas, ash, 68 x 50 x 24 cm
Seesaw, Douglas, oak, 45 x 310 x 29 cm
year of construction: 2023