Stockholm 2011: Belgian designer Kaspar Hamacher makes stools from wooden logs by setting them on fire.
Called Ausgebrannt (German for 'burnt out'), the project involves stripping bark from the logs then burning away certain sections to create legs.
The stools were displayed on circular landings at the Biologiska museum in Stockholm as part of 20 Designers at Biologiska, surrounded by a 360 degree diorama of stuffed animals and sea birds.
More about 20 Designers at Biologiska in our earlier story.
Stockholm Design Week took place 7-13 February. See all our coverage of the event here »
Here's some text from Hamacher:
Kaspar Hamacher uses fire to create furniture. Fittingly named 'ausgebrannt' which means 'burned out' in german. Tree trunks have been cut into segments varying in length.
The bark is stripped from the exterior and fire is then used to hollow out parts of the trunk to create legs. Working in Brussels, Kaspar moved back to the forest where he now runs his atelier. The product brought him back to his roots.
See also:
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| Emma Marga Blanche at Biologiska |
Fredrik Färg at Biologiska |
David Taylor at Biologiska |
Something a redneck would do.
Zumthor anyone?
I like the outcome, and the concept, but for an entire series of chairs I would just scoop out the pulp and slightly burn the surface between the legs – aren't we burning enough trees?
Wood is such a beatiful material.
I wonder if he slathers the interior sections with epoxy resin like Marten Baas to stop little bits of ash getting all over my Kashmiri cream colored rug.
very interesting work Kaspar. Alain.
Burned wood will never stop shedding ash unless it is utterly sealed so to be usable, it must be varnished excessively.
There is always a Justin in the crowd.
I agree Justin…as much as I love the design, it will never work with carpet or kids. Maybe a non toxic sealant would finish this off nicely.
Some see money where others see useless stuff. I'm impressed that it's still possible to "invent" new basic furnitures in todays world. I guess I just lack the capability of creativity.
putting natural gestures in something from nature like it is not something cultural is a non-contemporairy cliche. let's get back to 'work' again. it's not said that 'nature' shouldn't be a fascination.
This would make wonderful pedestal for a sculpture or ceramic.
When you sit on it , one gets a warm feeling.
i wonder how they get rid of the smell ..
reminds me of e15´s backenzahn, though..
why would you want to get rid of the smell?
Good chance to roast a marshmallow, a hotdog, or some smores along with friends whilc you actively engage in the manufacturing process. What will the Belgians think of next?
a marshmallow OR some smores huh ? ?
Criticism is easy but writing that this work is very interesting without any motivation could only be written out of friendship. Before writing my own comment, I was in doubt, if i would see these stools in real life i wouldn't pay any attention to them. In this case, a blog forces you to have an opinion, but do i want to? Every word written about these design-actions make it worse. It is just a stool, made in way that was probably a lot of fun, but does it need all this attention, and more general, doesn't design need more background. And if the background would be a process, is this an honest explanation, and isn't the burning just a finishing touch?
I dunno Bruno, I was going to write that this work was interesting, and I'm not a friend of the creator.
I don't understand how discussing this interesting stool "makes it worse." If your feeling is that a new cool unusual way to make a stool "does[n't] need all this attention," then maybe you're reading the wrong blog? Just a thought.
So I suppose Bruno that what you are saying is that only a laboured, over designed thing deserves attention? What rot!
Usually the most simple objects are the most beautiful. This squarely falls into this category.
And no. Good design rarely needs more background. In fact the best design is one that stands alone and needs no explanation.
I don't beleive for one minute that the only process involved is burning.
it is our biggest task as creators and interpretators to stay critic (not negative) about all the stuff we fill this world with. we should not making things to please one and other. contemporairy design excist mostly on internet, so pictures are therefore always abstractions from reality. quote: "what shall we do with the empty spaces" pink floyd – the wall
keep on making but though away even quicker, distinguish sence from non- sence
Very cool idea. I love, how someone can still invent the basic furniture. And cut the criticism, the stool is brilliant.
Ummm isn't this pretty much a standard 'swedish lantern' with a slightly bigger cut? Is this design or am I taking crazy pills?!
It's quite good but I prefer this portable street lantern….
http://www.todayandtomorrow.net/2009/08/13/burnin…
I've only ever seen people burning logs like this in Sweden (where this was exhibited) so turning it into a stool is a natural progression. Seems like the designer has tweaked the process though in order to form more of a hollow before the leg tips burn out.
I love these. Great rustic yet contemporary feel. We are going to try this for some accent pieces for our vaction home in the mountains.
we do not see the chainsaw cuts before burning???
still prefer nakashima…
I think it would be fun to make. It's masculine and rustic and there is no fussing about with the design. Certainly not practical for a posh carpeted apartment.
If anyone has tried to recreate this I would like to know about your experience.