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Carbon Activated Timber Bench Skamya by Michael Budig and Kenneth Tracy

Carbon Activated Timber Bench Skamya by Michael Budig and Kenneth Tracy is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2020 A' Design Award Bronza Mukofoti in Barqaror Mahsulotlar, Loyihalar va Yashil Dizayn Competition Category.


BronzaBarqaror Mahsulot· 2020

Carbon Activated Timber Bench Skamya

by Michael Budig and Kenneth Tracy

Client: Singapore University of Technology and Design

A' Design Award Bronza Mukofoti Winner in Barqaror Mahsulot Category

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The Design

About Carbon Activated Timber Bench Skamya

Karbonli yog'och skamya jamoat joylari uchun mo'ljallangan bo'lib, qayta ishlangan yog'och taxtalardan yasalgan. U og'irlik va barqarorlik tushunchalariga qarshi turadi. Yog'och taxtalarning hajmi ulkan bloklar kabi ko'rinsa ham, ular bo'shashtirilgan holda biriktirilgan va beqaror holatda. Karbon tolalarining nozik iplari ulkan bloklarni bir-biriga bog'lab, ularga barqarorlik beradi. Ular shuningdek, bloklarni mustahkamlab, yog'och taxtalarga qo'shimcha kuch qo'shadi.

The Recognition

About the A' Design Award Bronza Mukofoti

Carbon Activated Timber Bench Skamya A' Design Award Bronza Mukofotining g‘olibi bo‘lib, bu ijodkorlik, zukkolik va topqirlik bilan ajralib turuvchi a’lo dizaynlarga beriladigan o‘ta nufuzli e’tirofdir. Bronza g‘oliblari o‘z dizaynerlarining keng tajribasi, tasavvuri va topqirligini tasdiqlovchi juda mohir va hayratlanarli darajada ijodiy buyumlardir. Carbon Activated Timber Bench Skamya yuqori qadrlanadigan, hayrat bilan qaraladigan va suyukli, diqqatga sazovor darajada kasbiy va innovatsion buyum bo‘lishi kutiladi. A' Design Award Bronza Mukofotini qo‘lga kiritgan ushbu dizayn san’at, fan, dizayn va texnologiyadagi eng yaxshi amaliyotlarni o‘zida mujassam etadi va tafsilotlarga e’tibori bilan a’lodir. Carbon Activated Timber Bench Skamya ehtiyojlarni go‘zal qondiradi, istaklarga tegadi, tuyg‘ularni maftun etadi va qiziqishni jalb qiladi.

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

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