THE AMERICAN HARDWOOD EXPORT COUNCIL (AHEC) TOGETHER WITH STUDIO SWINE TURNS A SPACE INSIDE TRIENNALE MILANO IN ITALY INTO THE EXHIBITION GROUND OF “FOREST TALES” TO SHOWCASE SELECTED PIECES OF WOODEN FURNITURE WITH DISTINCTIVE DESIGNS
TEXT: NATHATAI TANGCHADAKORN
PHOTO COURTESY OF THE AMERICAN HARDWOOD EXPORT COUNCIL (AHEC)
(For Thai, press here)
The American Hardwood Export Council (AHEC) once again takes the lead and puts together another design exhibition to promote the use of the species of hardwoods growing abundantly in America’s hardwood forests. This time around, AHEC together with Studio Swine turns a space inside Triennale Milano in Italy into the exhibition ground of “Forest Tales” to showcase selected pieces of wooden furniture with distinctive designs.
Studio Swine curates the space and selects the exhibited pieces for “Forest Tales” from AHEC’s four latest projects in the past two years. Each designer develops a design under one condition that the work must use least one of the three hardwoods, maple, cherry and red oak. The 22 chosen pieces are intertwined into the story and idea behind the exhibition, ‘Global design and the beauty and versatility of American hardwood.’
art4d selects some of the works we find to be particularly interesting.
“Alter Ego” by Ilenia Viscardi, made with American maple
The wooden table is impressive for its seemingly weightless appearance with the design that perfectly combines curved lines and symmetry.
“Concur” by Mac Collins, made with American cherry
The lounge chair that comes with a bookrest serves as a companion for its user to isolate themselves from their routined daily life, allowing them to be more focused in warm and welcoming space.
“Humble Administrator’s Chair and Table” by Studio Swine, made with American red oak and cherry
This set of chair and table is made of red pinewood and American cherry wood with an inspiration from the design of the traditional chair from the Ming Dynasty and Chinese landscape architecture.
“The Roof Stool” by Trang Nguyen, made with American red oak, cherry and maple
Like its name implies, the stool is inspired by a type of traditional Vietnamese roof tile. The piece contains a special detail of the pins at the joineries. Made of different types of wood with different colors, the pins reveal themselves when the stool is unstacked.
“Thought Bubble” by Nong Chotipatoomwan, made with American red oak
From the mind of a Thai designer, the chair is realized to create a state that enables its user to focus on themselves and relax through the repetitive rocking motion and the solid wooden form.