With emerging trends and increasing demand in CNC, woodworking has shifted from manual craftsmanship to a fusion of automation and technology. Either way will still produce a certain amount of waste and offcuts.
These offcuts, particularly CNC offcuts containing uniform shape and texture, have always drawn my attention and ignited some new ideas. This is how the design process of Revival Shelf started.
There are two principles in designing this piece.
The first is to maximise the usage of these offcuts by changing the shape and texture as little as possible.
The second is to be able to flatpack for easier transportation, dismantle and repack, which can extend the life of the piece.
To achieve the above principles, shelves are made by book-matching the minor arc, a textured dowel is made out of a strip of profiled edge and the base is constructed by square-edged offcuts.
Personally, this piece is a mark of my journey as a designer-maker, who’s always on the search of the sweet spot between celebrating the quality of wood with craftsmanship, the efficiency that machines offer and the circularity of a sustainable design.
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