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Materials research for Reconfiguration of a Tree by Studio Thomas Vailly at Dutch Design Week 2015, Eindhoven

Reconfiguration of a Tree by Studio Thomas Vailly in collaboration with David Derksen at Dutch Design Week 2015, Eindhoven

Reconfiguration of a Tree by Studio Thomas Vailly at Dutch Design Week 2015, Eindhoven

Reconfiguration of a Tree by Studio Thomas Vailly in collaboration with Lex Pott at Dutch Design Week 2015, Eindhoven

Dutch Design Week 2015: Tree reconfigured

Eindhoven – Studio Thomas Vailly has ripped a Pinus Pinaster tree apart to create alternative man-made objects.

The studio invited five product designers to help reconfigure a part of the tree
Exploring the potential of the raw material in its most basic form, the designers challenged the design process

The Pinus Pinaster, a resinous tree found in the Mediterranean Basin that is typically an invasive species in South Africa, was torn apart for the Reconfiguration of a Tree research project to explore how it could be reconstructed in its raw form to create alternative man-made products.

Using black resin and pine wood – the natural components from the tree – the five product designers challenged the system of production. Usually, these natural tree materials, including biopolymers, sticky tar and flexible fibres, are used to create synthetic material, but Studio Thomas Vailly wanted to challenge the production by showing these materials can be used in their natural state.

By combining the natural materials, the designers created a pair of wooden clogs, a wooden wall room divider, exercise aids and a boat. Each were intricate yet humble in their aesthetic.