Carbon Activated Timber Bench Noho by Michael Budig and Kenneth Tracy

Carbon Activated Timber Bench Noho by Michael Budig and Kenneth Tracy is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2020 A' Design Award Keleawe in Hoʻolālā Huahana Mau Loa, Papahana a me Hoʻolālā ʻŌmaʻomaʻo Competition Category.

KeleaweHuahana Mau Loa· 2020

Carbon Activated Timber Bench Noho

by Michael Budig and Kenneth Tracy

Client: Singapore University of Technology and Design

A' Design Award Keleawe Winner in Huahana Mau Loa Category

23,098

Verified Award Winner

Verify Award Status for #89216

View at A' Design Award Press Release Award Badge

Colors

The Design

About Carbon Activated Timber Bench Noho

ʻO ka Noho Lāʻau Carbon Activated, ua hoʻolālā ʻia no nā wahi lehulehu a ua hana ʻia mai nā papa lāʻau i hoʻihoʻi hou ʻia mai. Hoʻopaʻakikī ʻo ia i nā manaʻo e pili ana i ka kaumaha a me ke kūpaʻa. ʻOiai e ʻike ʻia ka nui o nā papa lāʻau e like me nā pahu nui loa, ua hui mālie wale nō lākou a aia i kekahi kūlana paʻa ʻole. ʻO nā lopi liʻiliʻi o ka carbon fiber e nakinaki pū ana i nā pahu nui e hāʻawi ana iā lākou i ko lākou kūpaʻa. Hoʻoikaika pū ʻo lākou i nā pahu e hoʻonui aʻe i ka ikaika o nā papa lāʻau.

The Recognition

About the A' Design Award Keleawe

Ua lanakila ka hoʻolālā Carbon Activated Timber Bench Noho i ka A' Design Award Keleawe, he ʻike hoʻohanohano nui loa i hāʻawi ʻia i nā hoʻolālā kūʻokoʻa i ʻike ʻia ma o ka hana noʻeau, ka akamai a me ka makakoho. He mau hana mākaukau a hana noʻeau kupaianaha nā lanakila Keleawe e hōʻoia ana i ka ʻike nui, ka noʻonoʻo a me ka maʻalea o kā lākou poʻe hoʻolālā. Manaʻo ʻia ʻo ka hoʻolālā Carbon Activated Timber Bench Noho he mea i mahalo nui ʻia, hoʻohiwahiwa ʻia a aloha ʻia, he ʻoihana a hou loa. ʻO kēia hoʻolālā i lanakila i ka A' Design Award Keleawe e hoʻohui ana i nā hana maikaʻi loa o ka hana noʻeau, ka ʻepekema, ka hoʻolālā a me ka ʻenehana, a maikaʻi no kona nānā ʻana i nā kikoʻī. Hoʻokō maikaʻi ka hoʻolālā Carbon Activated Timber Bench Noho i nā pono, hoʻopā i ka makemake, hoʻohiwahiwa i nā manaʻo a huki i ka makemake e ʻike.

Behind the Design

Press Kit

Credits, team members and technical details provided by the designer.

Unique Properties: The bench uses reclaimed wood planks that through their re-application continue to store carbon, since the living trees absorb CO2 from the environment. The re-use of the wood hence contributes to a positive ecological balance. Carbon is re-combined with the wood in a different state, as minimal amounts of high tech fibres that are strategically placed to enhance the capacity of the wood planks.
Dimensions & Packaging: Dimensions: 3000 x 830 x 400 mm
Volume: 0.1736 m3
Mass: 128 kg of reclaimed hardwood from outdoor deckings
Carbon fibers, total mass: 0.623 kg (around 800m of 12k carbon fibre tow)
Tags: Reclaimed wood, carbon fibres, robotic milling, traditional crafts
Production Technology: The bench reflects craftsmanship in a contemporary context, where computational design and fabrication have become state of the art. After stacking reclaimed wood planks into solid blocks, an industrial robotic arm mills the blocks into their final geometries with paths for the subsequent reiforcement with fibres. The reclaimed wood planks store carbon and contribute to a positive ecological balance, whereas carbon is re-combined as minimal amounts of high tech fibres, strategically placed to enhance the capacity of the wood planks.
Design Challenge: Reclaimed wood simultaneously diverts waste and reduces the energy by forgoing the effort needed to obtain virgin materials. The finishing and fabrication contribute to making a durable, robust piece of furniture sequestering carbon for longer and reducing the need for replacements. Finally augmenting the performance of wood beyond its inherent structural capacity increases the potential range of use so it can be used differently for both industrial design and architecture.
Research: The bench design highlights the expertise present in large-scale furniture carpentry in a combination of experienced labor with new forms of craft, digital calibration and robotic fabrication. By augmenting the reclaimed wood with carbon fibers, the project proves that small amounts of high-performance materials can be used alongside carbon-negative wood elements. This new design direction increases productivity and sustainability through the use of new design and manufacturing technologies.
Inspiration: Juxtaposing old, weathered hardwood with precise smooth carving and high-tech carbon fiber gives the piece a unique character. This novel expression fuses high tech carving, patina, natural wood grain, digitally designed weaving patterns and precise manufacturing. This points towards an optimized, calibrated future of sustainable design and recalls vernacular traditions of textile and wood construction. Lashing, wood joinery and timber frames act as both cultural and technological precedents.
Project Duration: Conversations started in late December 2016, and the design was completed in November 2018 and installed on the grounds of Mapletree Business City 2, Singapore
Operation Flow: Initiated by the opportunity to reuse wood decking boards the project leverages high performance materials and new techniques to renew the old materials and create a sustaining piece of furniture. An elongated pattern of tightly wound carbon fiber strands rest within robotically carved groves to hold the massive stack of blocks together. Precise, continuous curvature combined with tapered edges form a comfortable low-profile object that looks lightweight despite being 140kg
Team Members: Principal Designer: Michael Budig
Principal Designer: Kenneth Tracy
Sachin Gupta
Kerine Kua
Dhileep Kumar
Lee Le Xiu Jean
Melissa Lee Wen Hui
Seah Jia Neng
Daniel Yong Kaijie
Robotic Fabricator: Singapore Composite Cluster
Wood Fabricator: Hon Nam Lee
Image Credits: Michael Budig and Kenneth Tracy, Singapore University of Technology and Design