PHLOEM
PHLOEM
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CABINET
THIS PROJECT STARTED WITH A SIMPLE QUESTION: WHY DO MOST MODULAR FURNITURE SYSTEMS RELY ON COLD STEEL TUBES AND METAL CONNECTORS? I’VE ALWAYS ADMIRED THE LOGIC AND FLEXIBILITY OF CLASSIC GRID-BASED STORAGE, BUT I WANTED TO SEE IF THAT SAME STRUCTURAL FREEDOM COULD BE ACHIEVED ENTIRELY OUT OF SOLID WOOD.
THE RESULT IS A MODULAR SYSTEM WHERE THE TIMBER FRAME ISN'T JUST FOR LOOKS—IT’S THE ACTUAL LOAD-BEARING STRUCTURE. EVERY JOINT AND NODE IS ENGINEERED FROM SOLID WOOD, GIVING THE PIECE THE CLEAN LINES OF INDUSTRIAL DESIGN ALONGSIDE THE NATURAL WARMTH OF REAL TIMBER.
INSPIRED BY NATURE
INSPIRED BY NATURE
DIMENSIONS & GRID LOGIC
THE LEGS ARE UNIVERSAL IN DESIGN AND ARE POSITIONED AT A 45-DEGREE ANGLE BENEATH THE TABLETOP, PRECISELY. THE ENTIRE SYSTEM IS BUILT AROUND A PROPORTIONAL, STANDARDIZED GRID THAT MAKES SPATIAL PLANNING EFFORTLESS. RATHER THAN BEING RESTRICTED TO FIXED CABINET SIZES, YOU CAN BUILD OUT THE SYSTEM HORIZONTALLY OR VERTICALLY IN CONSISTENT MODULAR STEPS.
THIS GEOMETRIC LOGIC ALLOWS THE STRUCTURE TO TRANSFORM SEAMLESSLY DEPENDING ON THE CONTEXT—FROM A LOW-PROFILE MEDIA CONSOLE OR A MID-HEIGHT SIDEBOARD, TO AN OPEN ROOM DIVIDER OR AN EXPANSIVE FLOOR-TO-CEILING STORAGE WALL. BECAUSE THE GRID RETAINS ITS BALANCED PROPORTIONS AT ANY SCALE, THE CABINET ALWAYS FEELS LIGHT, INTENTIONAL, AND ARCHITECTURALLY ALIGNED WITH THE ROOM IT SITS IN.
THE DIMENSIONS ARE: 2200 X 900 X 740 MMXXXXX
THE DIMENSIONS ARE: 2200 X 900 X 740 MMXXXXX
DESIGN PROCESS & PRACTICAL DETAILS
GETTING THE FRAME JOINERY RIGHT WAS THE HARDEST PART. THE WOODEN GRID NEEDED EXACT TOLERANCES TO HANDLE WEIGHT AND STAY RIGID OVER TIME WITHOUT LOOKING BULKY OR OVER-ENGINEERED. ALONGSIDE THE STRUCTURAL DESIGN, I FOCUSED HEAVILY ON HOW THE PRODUCT TRAVELS AND LIVES IN A SPACE:
ALONGSIDE THE STRUCTURAL DESIGN, I FOCUSED HEAVILY ON HOW THE PRODUCT TRAVELS AND LIVES IN A SPACE:
FLAT-PACK & EASY ASSEMBLY: THE ENTIRE SYSTEM BREAKS DOWN FLAT FOR SHIPPING. THIS KEEPS THE TRANSPORT FOOTPRINT SMALL AND MAKES IT EASY FOR ANYONE TO ASSEMBLE OR TAKE APART WITHOUT NEEDING COMPLEX TOOLS.
BUILT TO CHANGE: LIFE CHANGES, AND FURNITURE SHOULD TOO. THE GRID IS FULLY MODULAR, SO YOU CAN EXPAND IT, CHANGE ITS LAYOUT, OR REPLACE INDIVIDUAL PARTS DOWN THE LINE INSTEAD OF BUYING A WHOLE NEW CABINET.
15 PANEL FINISHES: TO CONTRAST THE WOODEN FRAME, I DESIGNED A RANGE OF 15 FRONT PANEL OPTIONS. THESE RUN FROM SUBTLE MATTE COLORS TO REAL METAL FINISHES LIKE STAINLESS STEEL, COPPER, BRASS, SILVER, AND GUNMETAL, AS WELL AS MATCHING WOOD VENEERS.
DESIGN PHILOSOPHY: THE 'WHY'
IN A MARKET SATURATED WITH FAST FURNITURE AND DISPOSABLE INTERIORS, THIS PROJECT IS AN EXERCISE IN LONGEVITY AND MATERIAL HONESTY. MODERN STORAGE SYSTEMS OFTEN RELY ON CHEAP COMPOSITE WOODS OR RIGID STEEL STRUCTURES THAT ARE DIFFICULT TO RECYCLE AND QUICK TO END UP IN LANDFILLS WHEN A SINGLE COMPONENT FAILS.
BY COMBINING THE TIMELESS ADAPTABILITY OF MODULAR ARCHITECTURE WITH SOLID WOOD CRAFTSMANSHIP, THIS CABINET PROPOSES A MORE THOUGHTFUL WAY OF LIVING WITH OBJECTS. IT IS DESIGNED AROUND THE PRINCIPLE OF DESIGN FOR DISASSEMBLY—EVERY SINGLE PART CAN BE UNBOLTED, REPAIRED, OR REPLACED INDIVIDUALY. AS YOUR LIFE, TASTES, OR LIVING SPACES CHANGE OVER THE YEARS, THE CABINET EVOLVES WITH YOU INSTEAD OF NEEDING TO BE REPLACED. IT’S NOT JUST A FUNCTIONAL PIECE OF STORAGE; IT’S AN INVESTMENT IN A SUSTAINABLE, LONG-TERM RELATIONSHIP WITH THE OBJECTS WE BRING INTO OUR HOMES.
DIEDERIK ROSS
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