Australian designers are being challenged to use wood and wood products in attractive and innovative ways as part of the annual Dangerous Designs competition run by FWPA’s WoodSolutions arm. Source: Timberbiz
Student Jeff Thornton’s Valium Lamp – a lamp where the shades change shape – was among the first entries for this year’s Dangerous Designs competition.
His lamps, along with all the entries, will be judged on originality, use of wood, relevance, design and sustainability, with prizes ranging from $500 to $5000.
“Pottering around the workshop one summer’s morning, I noticed a few off-cuts of veneer sitting on the end of a bench. Later in the day I again noticed the veneer pieces, but something had happened to them; they’d changed shape. Hmm? That’s interesting. The cogs started turning…” Mr Thornton said.
“Veneer is usually glued flat onto a solid base or shaped around a mould. In both cases the veneer remains rigid. This is where my design is different. I wanted my veneer to go ‘commando’; free to shape itself as the moisture in the air permits.”
WoodSolutions is promoting the competition to design specifiers and students, with the goal of increasing the number of entries.
Anyone in Australia can enter the competition, which has both a “student” and an “open” section. Entries close on 30 September.
