Carbon Activated Timber Bench Oche by Michael Budig and Kenneth Tracy

Carbon Activated Timber Bench Oche by Michael Budig and Kenneth Tracy is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2020 Ihe Nrite A' Design Award nke Bronz in Nhazi Ngwaahịa Na-adịgide, Ọrụ na Nhazi Akwụkwọ Ndụ Competition Category.

BronzNgwaahịa Na-adịgide· 2020

Carbon Activated Timber Bench Oche

by Michael Budig and Kenneth Tracy

Client: Singapore University of Technology and Design

Ihe Nrite A' Design Award nke Bronz Winner in Ngwaahịa Na-adịgide Category

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The Design

About Carbon Activated Timber Bench Oche

A mere Oche Osisi nke Carbon Activated maka ebe ọha ma e ji planks osisi a weghachitere mee ya. Ọ na-agbagha echiche banyere ibu na nkwụsi ike. Ọ bụ ezie na oke planks osisi ndị ahụ na-adị ka nnukwu ogwe buru ibu, a naghị ejikọta ha nke ọma ma ha nọkwa n'ọnọdụ na-adịghị akwụsi ike. Obere eriri carbon fibres na-ejikọta nnukwu ogwe ndị ahụ ọnụ inye ha nkwụsi ike. Ha na-emekwa ka ogwe ndị ahụ sie ike iji gbakwunye ike n'ahụ planks osisi ndị ahụ.

The Recognition

About the Ihe Nrite A' Design Award nke Bronz

Carbon Activated Timber Bench Oche meriri A' Design Award nke Bronz, nnabata dị oke ugwu e nyere design ndị pụtara ìhè nke a ma ama maka nzụlite ihe, ọgụgụ isi na nghọta. Ndị meriri na Bronz bụ ihe e mere nke ndị nwere nka nke ukwuu ma dị mma n'imepụta nke na-egosi ahụmahụ buru ibu, echiche na ọgụgụ isi nke ndị designer ha. A na-atụ anya na Carbon Activated Timber Bench Oche ga-abụ ihe a na-asọpụrụ nke ukwuu, a na-eto na a hụrụ n'anya, nke dị oke ọrụ ma dị ọhụrụ. Design a meriri A' Design Award nke Bronz na-agụnye ụzọ kacha mma n'ime nka, sayensị, design na teknụzụ, ma dị mma nke ukwuu maka nlebara anya ya n'obere ihe. Carbon Activated Timber Bench Oche na-emezu mkpa nke ọma, na-emetụ ọchịchọ aka, na-adọrọ mmetụta obi ma na-adọta ọchịchọ ịmara.

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