Tiny Threads, Massive Blocks

Tiny Threads, Massive Blocks reflects the progress of crafting in a contemporary context, where computational design and fabrication tools have become state of the art. Using wood planks reclaimed during the redecking of VivoCity’s Sky Park in Singapore, tiny threads of carbon fiber tie the seemingly massive blocks together to give them their stability to create a durable, robust piece of furniture.

For this project, I developed Grasshopper tools for modeling the fiber grooves on the bench surface using a combination of geodesic and freeform curves. I also assisted Singapore Composite Cluser and Hon Nam Lee with the wood milling and fiber composite fabrication, respectively.

The rest of the full team is as follows:

Design: Michael Budig & Kenneth Tracy with Daniel Yong Kaijie, Kerine Kua, Lee Le Xiu Jean, Seah Jia Neng, Melissa Lee Wen Hui (Singapore University of Technology & Design)

Fabrication: Singapore Composite Cluster, Hon Nam Lee

All media property of the Dynamic Assemblies Lab and Michael Budig of the Singapore University of Technology & Design.

Wood reclamation steps

The wood planks (size 1800x130x30mm) were reclaimed from the VivoCity decks and brought to Hon Nam Lee, a company specializing in wood furniture manufacturing. There the planks were laminated into five massive blocks.

Wood milling steps

The blocks were then transported to the fabrication facility of the Singapore Composite Cluster. The KRL code for robotic milling was generated for each of the five blocks for planing, the primary shaping sequence, and the groove indentation.

Assembly & fiber winding steps

Upon completion of the milling, the bench was then assembled using fasteners and wood glue. After drying, the bench was hand-wrapped with carbon-fiber reinforced epoxy rovings to bind the wood plank together, reminiscent of lashing. The bench was then finalized with a resin coat and secondary finish.

The bench received a Singaporean Good Design mark and was a Bronze Design Award winner in the 2019 - 2020 Sustainable Products, Projects and Green Design Award Category for the A'Design Award & Competition.

Conversation about the project had begun in late December 2016, and the bench was completed in November 2018. It was installed on the grounds of Mapletree Business City 2, Singapore.

Final numbers:

Dimensions: 3000 x 830 x 400 mm

Volume: 0.1736 m3

Mass: 128 kg of reclaimed hardwood from outdoor deckings

Carbon fibers, total mass: 0.623 kg (around 800m of 12k carbon fibre tow)