Christian+Jade’s ‘Weight of Wood’ explores the value of wood in our material lives

Among the myriad emotions and phenomena that inspire the design discipline of objects, a rare source of inspiration is the character and integrity of the material used to build it. Usually, materiality only comes into the picture once its form and function have been determined, and the maker is on the lookout for a medium suitable enough to hold and manifest the design. However, Christian Hammer Juhl and Jade Chan of Copenhagen-based design studio Christian+Jade, initiated their redolent project titled Weight of Wood, with the intention of 'exploring the life of wood through one of its most defining characteristics - its density.'

Just like the geographical location and the socio-political context in which a person grows up can influence their mannerisms and traits, the quality of lives experienced by trees, too, can be determined by looking at and studying their physical features. Enunciating on this phenomenon, the designers from Denmark explain, “Through wood’s weight, we can learn about its personality and temperament, get a glimpse into the environmental condition it was nurtured under, and we can attempt to bridge the gap between the life of a tree, and wood as a commodity.”

Elaborating on the experiments that culminated in the project, the Danish design studio shares, “Weight of Wood showcases the result of a quest to explore the role, value and historical weight that wood has on our material life.” The designers understand the all-pervasive presence that wood has had in our lives since the inception of human civilisations. From being the first material source of fire, warmth, and light and serving as an essential medium in crafting hunting tools, houses, boats, and wheels, wood has now been experimented with in multiple ways, forming a wide range of artistically diverse products. Hence, an exploration of this material beyond its utility, is perhaps, almost essential. Taking the density of wood as the cardinal factor, Christian+Jade invite people to examine the weight of wood with their novel project.

Made up of two creatives, Christian+Jade is a practice that attempts to create works that both challenge and deepen our relationship to the spaces and objects that we inhabit and use, all in an attempt to make a shift in our living and consumption patterns. With Weight of Wood, the Danish designers continue this endeavour. Juhl and Chan quote H P Dinesen’s words as the guiding force behind the project—“To those who love the tree, those who may be fighting the tree, the one who plants the tree, the one who fells the tree, the poet who praises the tree, and the one who simply settles with enjoying the tree.” Developed and produced in collaboration with flooring brand Dinesen, Weight of Wood comprises three exploratory components, namely Forest and Wood, Wood and Wood, and Wood and Human.

Christian+Jade began the project with Forest and Wood in an attempt to trace the beginning of wood's location in the forest. “To understand the weight of wood, we must begin in the forest, where the wooden floor planks under your feet grew for many years as a small part of a large, complex ecosystem. Forest and Wood is an introduction to the concept of wood's density. This area offers a preliminary insight into how we can learn about the environment in which a tree grew by examining its growth rings and end grains. Learning to see the world in the grain of wood is a reminder that wood is not just a dead substance to be harvested and processed, but a living, breathing entity interconnected to the life of every other organism on the planet,” the designers state.

Moving beyond examining wood against the context in which it grew, Christian+Jade explored the differences in wood found on the same tree. “No two pieces of wood can weigh the same, even if they stem from the very same tree. Wood and Wood eliminates the factor of the forest by focusing on trees that grow under similar conditions. The wood represented here is the main tree species growing in The Black Forest of Schwarzwald in Germany, where most of Dinesen's wood is sourced. By diving into different factors that influence the weight of wood, from wood anatomy to growth strategy, we understand each species as unique individuals and the roles they play in our lives. On display is the intangible quality of weight translated into visual and interactive forms, allowing us to explore each wood’s characteristic and strength,” Christian+Jade share.

Finally, with Wood and Human, the designers examine wood’s role in the history of human civilisation. They surmise that despite many developments, wood continues to remain an essential part of our lives, and therefore, it is necessary for us to interact with it in a manner that is more sustainably and responsibly wired.

This pedagogical project by the furniture designers led to the creation of three pieces named the 'Rocking Chair,' 'Rocking Horse,' and 'Seesaw.' The former, made out of 75 per cent Dinesen pine and 25 per cent Dinesen oak, helps the users examine the variation that wood of different densities can cause on an object. The base of the chair acts as the pivot point between the seat made out of pine and the oak backrest. Although both these entities have the same mass, the chair tilts backwards, creating a comfortable seating position owing to the higher density of pinewood. The 'Rocking Horse is made out of 87 per cent Dinesen Douglas and 13 per cent Dinesen ash and “explores the principle of added weight, with the ash backrest tilting the Douglas body of the horse to give it its unique movement and silhouette," according to the product designers. Relatedly, 'Seesaw' is crafted using 50 per cent Dinesen Douglas and 50 per cent Dinesen oak. Owing to the higher density of oak, 'Seesaw' always leans to one side.

During their exploration, Christian+Jade comprehended that lignocellulose is the main component of all wood and that it comes with a constant density of 1.5 grams per centimetre cube. The presence of this component depends on several factors, namely, the type of tree, the soil it grows upon, the nutrients it receives, the amount and kind of air it is exposed to, the light and heat it receives, and much more. “Every single piece of wood reflects the changes happening in the world around us. Scientists such as wood anatomists and dendrochronologists can analyse growth rings and intricate grain patterns of trees to reveal significant environmental changes such as climate shifts, natural disasters, and human activities or provide new insight into our history by dating objects from shipwrecks or painting panels,” the designers reveal.

The eleven species whose samples were assessed by Chan and Juhl for the product designs include Black Alder, Ash, Beech, Cherry, Douglas Fir, Elm, Hornbeam, Maple, Oak, Pine, and Walnut, from the Schwarzwald forest in Germany. The designers were able to gain an understanding of the differing densities of different wood types by using them as parts of balancing objects.