LEPPÄNEN

There is a spot quite unknown to the rest of the world. A small village of about 4000 inhabitants that lies the middle of Finland and goes by the name Karstula. In August 2018 I spent a month there in an art residency called ArtRanta. During my stay, I met Markku Leppänen who runs a small sawmill close to the village.

On a visit to the sawmill, Markku showed me a pile of rotten birch that had previously been used in transportation as support beams and asked me whether I could design something out of it. Since the end of the 20th century, the furniture building industry in Finland has diminished and its demand for furniture wood has decreased. But as the country has a strong inclination toward forestry, huge piles of timber still accumulate, waiting to get used. Normally such material does not qualify for the furniture industry, which to me felt like a waste since there was something fascinating about the wood. When timber is left outside for years, the climate and humidity enable the wood to rot, creating a pattern in the wood. Each beam rots differently making each wood unique and interesting. I wanted to create something beautiful that celebrated this uniqueness. By designing a dining table, I was able to respect the material and showcase the captivating patterns of the wood end grains.

The Leppänen dining table utilises scrap material while embracing the natural imperfections of rotten timber. Each table varies depending on the patterns it displays. Assembling the body happens easily by sliding the legs into the frame and tightening a few bolts. When disassembled the table packs flat for efficient transportation.

LEPPÄNEN, 2018
750mm x 1440mm x 900mm
Rotten Birch, Birch