Greetings from Finland.
The first magazine I opened after I arrived here had this article on WoodISM.
Looks like were well ahead of the game guys - and we don't need a label either. Good sentiments though.
Cheers
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WoodISM gives new life to trees
When I was small a big birch tree was cut down in our garden. The tree has stood there as long as I could remember. Now only a stub remained on the ground, pieces of wood were lying about. The garden looked empty.
if WoodISM had been established at that time the tree could have been turned into a table at our home, or a chair where I could sit and enjoy the same spot where the beloved birch used to stand.
WoodISM is a project invented by designers Merka Soini and Taipo Anttila. It aims to make use of trees that are cut down every year within the framework of urban landscape management. These trees, which would normally end up as wood chips are manually turned into individualistic pieces of furniture by qualified carpenters.
"People have strong emotional ties to the tree in their immediate surroundings. The project started in finland last spring when some hundred year old Linden and elm trees were cut down in an Helsinki park and local people complained about it." says Sonini.
Eight design caprpenter teams are taking part in teh project. The production of WoodISM furniture is very different from mass production. The carpenters often make use of small individualistic faults in the the timber - holes anre pores of wood that are rarely used in mass production - to reflect the story and character of each tree. Such beauty spots would not be accepted in mass production. An explanation detailing when and where the tree was cut down is attached to the bottom of each WoodISM product. The designers also get to try out different techniques and surface finishes that would not be profitable in mass production.
"Our goal is to fight against consumer hysteria which has emerged in the furniture sector through ikea and and other cheap import firms. we ant to make modern heritage furniture with wood grown in Finland - furniture that will last a long time in terms of appearance and in use"
The first magazine I opened after I arrived here had this article on WoodISM.
Looks like were well ahead of the game guys - and we don't need a label either. Good sentiments though.
Cheers
************************************************** ****
WoodISM gives new life to trees
When I was small a big birch tree was cut down in our garden. The tree has stood there as long as I could remember. Now only a stub remained on the ground, pieces of wood were lying about. The garden looked empty.
if WoodISM had been established at that time the tree could have been turned into a table at our home, or a chair where I could sit and enjoy the same spot where the beloved birch used to stand.
WoodISM is a project invented by designers Merka Soini and Taipo Anttila. It aims to make use of trees that are cut down every year within the framework of urban landscape management. These trees, which would normally end up as wood chips are manually turned into individualistic pieces of furniture by qualified carpenters.
"People have strong emotional ties to the tree in their immediate surroundings. The project started in finland last spring when some hundred year old Linden and elm trees were cut down in an Helsinki park and local people complained about it." says Sonini.
Eight design caprpenter teams are taking part in teh project. The production of WoodISM furniture is very different from mass production. The carpenters often make use of small individualistic faults in the the timber - holes anre pores of wood that are rarely used in mass production - to reflect the story and character of each tree. Such beauty spots would not be accepted in mass production. An explanation detailing when and where the tree was cut down is attached to the bottom of each WoodISM product. The designers also get to try out different techniques and surface finishes that would not be profitable in mass production.
"Our goal is to fight against consumer hysteria which has emerged in the furniture sector through ikea and and other cheap import firms. we ant to make modern heritage furniture with wood grown in Finland - furniture that will last a long time in terms of appearance and in use"
