HONG KONG

Installation Design with Recycled Timber Logs
Development Bureau, HKSAR Government

Project Type: Urban Furniture

Status: In-progress

Our proposal aims at experimenting the alternative way to up-cycle stricken trees trunks in Hong Kong. The conventional method of recycling natural timber often involves the use of industrial dryers. The process actually produces a massive carbonm footprint and contradicts the intentions to protect the natural environment. On the othernhand, untreated wood may shrink in an unpredictable way, making it unsuitable for conventional architectural uses.
 

Our proposal tackles this issue by rethinking the assembly method of the material. Instead of using the timber as horizontal wood planks, our proposal calls for a vertical arrangement. This arrangement, together with the overall aesthetics of the design, provided tolerances for shrinkages and the variations in sizes. The rustic assemblage of the stricken tree trunks is compensated by the curvilinear surface of the top plane. The curvature is derived from the topography of Hong Kong Island, and echoes with the locality of the proposed site in Causeway Bay (The Quick-win Promenade at East Coast Park Precinct). The contour of the top plane provides different possibilities for sitting, laying, and relaxing. The users could enjoy the scenery of the site while customising their own method of using the furniture.
 

The production process of the furniture is relatively simple. Shricken tree trunks are grouped together and assembled with long stainless steel bolts attached to a steel base plate. The base plate will be elevated slightly to provide adequate drainage at the bottom. The tree trunks are first cut into approximate lengths and then sculpted into desired form with both computer-aid CNC and manual processes. The simplicity in the furniture’s assembly detail would allow maximum flexibility in maintenance. To minimize wastage, Individual tree trunks could be swapped out and replaced.