PENADES

Wrap was commissioned by the American Hardwood Export Council and was launched at Natural Connections, an exhibition at the Matadero as part of Madrid Design Festival 2023.

In this project I investigated new applications of wood based on the cardboard tube production system. Instead of creating a conventional piece of furniture, we developed a wooden pipe using two sheets of 0.7mm cherry veneer. Rolled and glued against each other in opposite directions, an extremely thin layer of wood – often used as a decorative material – becomes a surprisingly resistant, low weight and versatile tubular structure.

Complemented with a solid foot and a 360* ball joint, I created a construction system that allows both horizontal and vertical compositions. The first outcome of the project is a two-level seating tiers, a 5m long shelving unit and a XL low table for the display of the architectural model of Matadero, Madrid´s largest cultural center.

The three pieces will remain on loan at the entrance of the venue for 2 years; the +300.000 visitors per year will test the strength and the durability of this new idea and will dictate whether it was just a nice experiment or if it has some potential applications within the design industry.