discarded timber forms 'essential' furniture collection by viewport studio

singapore-based furniture and accessories brand, industry +, has approached viewport studio with a simple request to create a small family of benches, side and coffee tables that reflect the practice’s design thinking. responding to the brief, the designers have decided to develop the ‘essential’ project, introducing an environmentally friendly process and methodology, rather than a simple finite collection. 

a coffee table precision machined from discarded timber, constructed from CNC milled mortise and tenon joints and finished with a natural ebony stain
all images by benjamin swanson

with this project, viewport studio set out to dramatically reduce the energy and resources required for producing domestic furniture, while still creating enduring pieces that will be loved and used in everyday life. ‘essential’ merges responsible material sourcing, critical design thinking and key manufacturing, to create beautiful, innovative furniture. the result is a series that has been sourced, developed, and manufactured from discarded timber within a 10 mile radius of its production location.

today, thousands of tonnes of timber beams, blocks and offcuts that do not conform to the standard shapes, sizes and finishes required by the construction industry, are disposed. these timber pieces vary enormously in size, shape and consistency, making them difficult to assemble into stable structures and useful items, resulting in wasted wood in timber yards. viewport studio cleverly pairs and efficiently machines these unwanted bits of timber, to create functional and naturally beautiful items of furniture.

discarded timber pieces from construction sites and timber yards are selected and paired according to their structural properties, before being air dried to ensure stability in production. these pieces are then minimally sandblasted to strip away the bark and grime. the design team assesses their unique characteristics, eliminating weak points and adding functional surfaces. rather than imposing a predetermined form onto the material, this process of form-giving results in a considered design, removing material that is unnecessary to perform the piece’s intended function.

after the process described above, structurally sound mortise and tenon joints and functional surfaces are CNC milled into each piece, becoming a key trait of the collection’s adaptable design language. once assembled, a layer of natural wood dye is finally applied to unify the different elements. thie ‘essential’ manufacturing approach creates an innovative system where efficient machining and joinery, can minimise material wastage while maximising natural honesty and beauty in contemporary furniture.

only the timber’s essential surfaces and weaknesses are machined away, creating a robust and honest design intervention

the full collection including a bench, coffee table and side table

photographed on location where the sandblasting of the wood takes place, removing grime and dirt from discarded timber, ready for machining

the discarded pieces of timber are salvaged, arranged into furniture typologies before being designed and manufactured into the final furniture pieces

project info:

name: essential
design studio: viewport studio
brand: industry+
manufacturer: wup doodle

designboom has received this project from our ‘DIY submissions‘ feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

edited by: myrto katsikopoulou | designboom