It’s what I’ve always wanted…

18 August 2014


Top architects and designers have come up with a wish list of products they’ve always wanted but never been able to find. Thanks to AHEC and Benchmark Furniture, these products have now been made and will be exhibited as part of the London Design Festival. AHEC’S Belinda Cobden-Ramsay reports.

The first week of July was a very busy one at Benchmark's workshops. Some of the country's finest young design talents descended on Kintbury, in Berkshire, where the furniture maker's 50 craftsmen helped bring their designs for "The Wish List" to life.

The Wish List project sees a stellar list of architects and designers brought together by the American Hardwood Export Council (AHEC) and Benchmark Furniture to create a compelling installation that will be exhibited at the V&A during the 2014 London Design Festival from September 13-21.

"Benchmark is the powerhouse of craft, where many of the world's greatest designers come to push the boundaries of what it is possible to do in wood," said Sean Sutcliffe, co-founder of Benchmark. "The diversity of the pieces in The Wish List, and making them in one intense week, tested all involved.

We had great successes, a few tears, some tantrums but I think everybody learned a lot about craftsmanship and making. This project is a terrific platform for learning, enriched by the interaction of so much design and making talent."

Sir Terence Conran, co-founder of Benchmark, instigated the project when he wrote to his friends and asked, "What have you always wanted in your home, but never been able to find?"

His friends are, of course, some of the most illustrious names in architecture and design. Paul Smith, Norman Foster, Amanda Levete, John Pawson, Alison Brooks, Zaha Hadid, Alex de Rijke, Richard and Ab Rogers, and Allen Jones have all indicated what product they long for. Under the mentorship of these 'greats', up-and-coming names are now designing the desired items for The Wish List and the challenge is to produce each project in a single material - American hardwood.

Sebastian Cox has designed a workspace made out of red oak and cherry for Terence Conran, Norie Matsumoto has created the perfect tulipwood pencil sharpener for Norman Foster whilst Win Assakul has designed an extendable walnut fruit bowl for Amanda Levete. The sisters that form Studio Areti have designed three items for John Pawson, a set of walnut triangular shelves, a unique white oak tapered door, a set of walnut hooks and pegs and a walnut light switch, all for his new house.

Felix de Pass has designed cherry kitchen stools for Alison Brooks whilst Gareth Neal has made a vessel out of white oak for Zaha Hadid. Nathalie de Leval, who is also a cabinetmaker, has designed and built a thermally modified ash garden shed for fashion icon Paul Smith, whilst Barnby & Day have created an elegant CLT tulipwood dining table for Alex de Rijke. Richard Rogers with Ab Rogers have requested a red oak ladder from Xenia Moseley and Lola Lely has made a chaise longue for the artist Allen Jones made out of maple and walnut veneer.

For David Venables, European director of AHEC, this project is very much about the versatility of American hardwood, and the ability to experiment with designs, both big and small. "I can't think of any other material that could be used to create such an eclectic mix of products and render each one beautiful and unique," he said.

During the manufacturing process, the teams have recorded all material inputs and energy consumption allowing them to assess the environmental impact for each object, using data from AHEC's Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) research for 19 American hardwood species. Life Cycle Assessment is a scientific tool that helps industry to establish environmental frameworks that have real meaning and assess true sustainability.

The result will present the cradle-to-grave impact of creating each product across six categories. The most topical impact category is global warming potential (GWP), or carbon footprint.

"Working with AHEC on 'Out of the Woods' in 2012, Benchmark produced the world's first wooden furniture with full Life Cycle Analysis," said Sean Sutcliffe.

"Now we seek to build on that learning and develop tools that will enable designs to be rationalised on the basis of LCA data feedback. It is an exciting moment to be working within this fast-developing science."

Barnby & Day have created a CLT tulipwood dining table for Alex de Rijke ALL PHOTOS: PETR KREJCI
Studio Areti designed three items, using walnut and white oak
Gareth Neal’s commission for Zaha Hadid featured American white oak
Felix de Pass has designed cherry kitchen stools for Alison Brooks
Architect Amanda Levete commissioned an extendable walnut fruit bowl from Win Assakul