LOW-TECH STOOL

SOLO PROJECT | 1 WEEK | GREEN WOODWORKING PROJECT, FURNITURE DESIGN | 2022

Working with green wood is slow, but hypnotic. No loud machines, no sandpaper dust. The scent of a freshly cut tree and intense focused physical activity. Instead of cutting, you split, instead of sanding, you chisel, and for everything else, you use a drawknife.

Working with fresh wood offers a different layer of material properties than regular carpentry. The green wood dries after manufacturing which creates the risk of cracking. But there are other nuances that I really appreciate.

For example, the joints become more snug if you make the tenons first. They then are drier than the piece in which they are inserted upon assembly. As a result, the outer piece continues to dry and tightens around the tenon creating a tighter joint.

I had the pleasure of using a magnificent wood workshop at Vienkoci Park woodworking museum during a design course in Līgatne, Latvia. The photos were taken by Paula Zariņa – Šteinerte.