vicente carmona montedonico's densified wood chair weighs a mere 2.3 kilograms

Vicente Carmona Montedonico unveils d01

D01 is the world’s first densified radiata pine chair, weighing a mere 2.3 kilograms with assembly relying solely on PVA adhesive to emphasize simplicity. An experimental exploration beyond conventions of furniture design and materiality by Vicente Carmona Montedonico, the chair’s design philosophy revolves around showcasing material strength through an illusion of lightness and fragility. Beyond its this, the chair underscores the viability of densified wood as a sustainable and highly engineered material suitable for novel product design applications. The designer achieves its visual slenderness and structural strength through a 16×16 mm section, as 16 elements were configured to support a proper ergonomic and proven seating position whilst maintaining mathematical proportion and harmony.

all images courtesy of Vicente Carmona Montedonico

the world’s first densified wood chair

The D01 Chair is the final product of Vicente Carmona Montedonico’s exploration into wood densification, positioning it as a transformative technology that can impact the way we understand the material attributes of wood from a design perspective. His application of wood densification, a relatively niche technique with promising yet narrow application in contemporary design, aims to redefine understandings of material attributes in the wider Dense Project, seeking to assert the relevance of expendable softwoods in high-end furniture.

Realizing this vision, a bespoke system was developed for the production of densified wood which is typically not commercially available. Following thorough research and ideation, the designer created two purpose-built platforms to densify 2×2 dimensional lumber. Radiata pine, traditionally considered a low-value disposable softwood, emerges from this process as a robust material with an enhanced strength-to-weight ratio and heightened semiotic value.

D01 explores the viability of densified wood as a sustainable, highly engineered material for novel product design

showcasing material strength through an illusion of lightness and fragility

the designer created two purpose-built platforms to densify 2×2 dimensional lumber

enhancing radiata pine’s strength-to-weight ratio and semiotic value

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Plastification Platform: used to soften wood and avoid fracture under pressure

 

Densification Platform: used to compress wood and stabilize through heat

 

project info:

name: Dense – D01 Chair
designer: Vicente Carmona Montedonico

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edited by: ravail khan | designboom