Tim Vranken’s latest experiments in wood mirror classical design components

Belgian designer Tim Vranken’s latest handmade furniture, crafted out of solid wood, resonates with the domineering presence that closely placed colonnades in archaic structures command. Vranken's creations can be utilised as both decorations and functional objects because each component is created to function as a complete unit on its own and to fill spaces with adequate conviction. He recently showcased his latest creations at his first solo exhibition at Atelier Ecru gallery. Touted Rhythmic Echoes, the pieces presented at the Belgian art gallery were created using pure materials and natural processes. "I make each piece by hand. This is the only way in which the furniture can fulfil all my ideas. I experience and interact with wood in order to let its natural properties guide the creation," the furniture designer says. The furniture design objects that were put on display at the exhibition include the Traaf bench, the Norma closet and Norma sculpture, and the Arcus coffee table and stool.

Vranken, who hails from Houthalen-Helchteren in Belgium, builds wooden furniture and objects with the intention of employing honest techniques that can lead to a harmonious creation. His pieces carry no ostentation and are instead characterised solely by the interplay of repetitive, sometimes rhythmic, lines and shapes. In most of his designs, the junction between two contrasting materials, shapes or axes serves as the most distinctive feature. "I find inspiration in the wood itself. On the one hand, by experimenting with the specific natural properties hidden in the wood. On the other hand, by thoroughly studying the piece of wood in front of me," says Vranken, who begins every project with a study of the material.

Vranken’s love for the pure form of wood guides him to build designs that utilise the defects of the material, instead of hiding them under artificial coats or varnishes. In a way, the imperfections, the inherent roughness and unevenness on the surface of wood, ensure their beauty and uniqueness. Vranken is determined to maintain the authenticity of each wooden piece, so he chooses to make the structure of wood grains visible in his final designs. "Every unevenness determines my design. In this sense, you could say that the philosophy of wabi-sabi (the power of im-perfection) and its effect on the world of interior design really appeal to me," he explains.

His Traaf bench, initially designed in 2018 and recreated in a new visage recently, is a combination of two contrasting materials and styles. The hardness of the granite legs sits stoutly against the softly bent wooden seat. The curves of both elements sit comfortably against each other, never appearing too flamboyant. It is designed in such a way that a repetition of the granite pillars and oak seats can give form to an endless seating arrangement.

Vranken’s Norma collection, which comprises the Norma sculpture and a closet, is the result of extensive research into the properties of Yellow Pine. The surface of both the sculpture and the closet is decorated with ellipse-shaped growth rings, which are sawn against the grain. The wood texture apparent on the surface of Norma is the result of a play between the flaming plain-sawn wood and the striped quarter-sawn wood. The final look of the Norma surface, which is dark-hued, is achieved using the ancient technique of Shou Sugi Ban, in which wood is charred. Even though the technique used on the spring and summer Yellow Pine wood is the same, a difference in softness between these woods leads to a unique shade, with hues of brown, black, and gold. Vranken says of the Norma pieces, "It was important that the piece be interesting to behold and experience from every point of view. A piece of furniture has to have multiple faces. Each side of a piece should reflect a different feeling and a different composition. I love the tension that is created that way."

Another collection by Vranken, called Arcus, encapsulates the architectural fragments of classical structures. It replicates arches and columns, but on a diminished scale. The result is two pragmatic objects, a coffee table and a stool, that, while serving their specific purposes, stand tall in indoor spaces just like the landmark structures that inspired their creation.

In all of Vranken’s creations, it is the kinks, the chips, the scratches, and the slight deformities of wood that go on to describe and enhance the appearance of each piece. His product design items attest to the authenticity and simplicity of the materials and processes that shape his designs.