Definitely the smallest table to come out of NBCS (1’ tall table, 6” high seat)! Designed to entertain a toddler at snack time and for arts and craft, the set needed to: be durable, have a low center of gravity, and be quick for mom + dad to fabricate.

Poplar

This project was long in the making! We’re enjoying these stools with our Studio Table in the basement work room.

We built a full-size mock-up to test construction and traditional weave with Danish cord. With the mock-up, we were able to dial in the splayed angle of the legs, and reduce the width of the seat. This pair features custom foot rail heights.

Quarter Sawn White Oak

The Torii Table is humble and sturdy.  Its lean structure is enabled by a thick slab top and steel leg attachments. The table is an instrument for living; it is beautiful but not precious. The old growth fir and natural oil & wax finish allow for graceful aging and a patina of use.

The table was milled from a single fir beam.  The beam originates from a barn where something historically significant once took place.  Maybe.

Scaled for a small home or apartment, the Mini Rack corrals two bundles of firewood and holds an integrated box for storing matches and kindling.

Steel and reclaimed fir.

Certain pieces of wood have such character that they are best treated minimally.  Such was the case with this slab of local, big leaf maple.  A simple ‘waterfall’ edge and steel base form the structure of a small bench.  Walnut dovetail keys stabilize a large split (including, at ¾” long, the world’s cutest dovetail key).

Fred is a lamp.  

Fred is also an open question about creating CNC routed texture; the combination of tool path, router bit, and material to create a certain effect.  Pattern tool paths were 'manually' generated to bypass the translation of milling software so that Fred may directly communicate (whisper) with the machine.

Test panels in various wood species were milled to evaluate light transmission and effect.  The best candidates were carried forward to become Fred's obscure, yet friendly, scatter pattern.  The faceted, assembled form minimizes waste in the milling process.

Maple, Steel, 22" ht.

Anna is a classy lady.  George is a strapping lad.

A&G continue the research, initiated with Torque, in material efficiency and how 2D nesting patterns can drive the final, 3D form.  The 'waste' from Anna is George. The 'waste' from George is Anna.

Bands are held in place with the laser cut equivalent of a tusked tenon.  The high contrast and alternate setting of paper and wood is reminiscent of jester pants, which was not entirely expected nor welcomed. 

3mm Birch Ply, 2-Ply Bristol, Steel, 24" ht.

When one learns parametric modelling software, they are required to design some formally expressive object.  To impart greater function, a light bulb is typically added.  Being the classy folks we are here at NBCS, we wanted to push beyond form for the sake of form.  Taking inspiration from the eminently clever work of Matsys, the Zero/Fold Screen in particular, the form of Torque is reverse engineered from the 2D cut files to optimize the nesting of parts and material efficiency. Formal inspiration is almost entirely ‘Clove Lamp’ from Path Fab.

3mm & 6mm Birch Ply

Inspired by George Nelson's Bubble Lamps (which were inspired by silk covered Swedish lamps), the Turbine lamp is an experiment in bending flat paper around a wood structure.  The angle of the openings is set to allow views into the shade but not reveal the light source.  

3mm Birch Ply, Arches Watercolor Paper, 28" ht.

Make your own.

A series of steel planters in both rational and random geometries. Inspired by the forms of Force/Collide and Planterworx. Scripting randomness in a design is deceptively tricky. 100+ options were generated by cycling through each possible combination of a cloud of points. Promising forms made it to the next round for further refinement and final fabrication.

Neither lodge nor loft. Simple and small, our fireplace needed a proper screen.

When you are not ready to pay for that vintage Danish modern credenza or invest the time to build your own heirloom piece (but still cannot go back to the Ikea well), you build a functionally adequate placeholder. Classy plywood and a simple metal base.

Our rumpus room needed a coffee table that left room for rumpusing. Postmodernism needed more unpainted wood. Made from the few remaining Torii Table timbers.

A loft bed to maximize floor area while not restricting circulation in a small room - critical to accommodating a giant dollhouse.

A slender table to provide landing space and much needed light to the entry area of our home. A hidden dimmer (and secret dovetail key!) keep things interesting. A perforated metal shade directs light above and below while cooling the hottest spots of glare at eye level.

Back door benches are best.

Made from repurposed Cedar material samples.