Taos Bench

In response to a brief from the American Hardwood Export Council, to explore the ‘lifespan of products and their impact on the environment’.

I approached this brief looking at ideas of sustainability coming from ancient societies, such as the Native American, whom for centuries have inhabited the territories where these woods grow.

I was interested in finding a way to symbolize the crucial importance for the industrialized societies of understanding a new way to coexist in harmony with nature.

I felt that this understanding of nature is born out of community engagement and exchange of values and ideas. I imagined communities gathering around discussing ways to transform our societies into sustainable systems that nourish nature rather than destroying it.

Some of the Native American cultures and crafts are considered endangered, as well as some of their ancient towns and dwellings.

One example of this is the Pueblo town of Taos in New Mexico, a UNESCO World Heritage site.

This theme seemed adequate as not only our planet is endangered but also the cultures and knowledge that could help us conceive of a new way of living in it.

I was interested in these ‘spaces of communication’ through the idea of a bench. I used the visual reference of the Taos Pueblo landscape to embody a nostalgia for the nearly lost knowledge of Native American societies.

The Taos Bench is made from 100 % sustainable Ash and assembled using simple finger joints and hemp rope.

Taos bench sketch