Belgian design firm Studio PART has created a demountable mold that encourages young willow trees to grow into a self-supporting bench. Called Tenir, the mold has holes in them with rubber inlays to protect the trees as they grow.
Setting up the mold first requires fixing the first half to screw-post foundations. Then the weaving of the planted willows through the holes in the frame. Lastly, attaching the second half of the metal tubes before placing the temporary seat cover on top. As the willow tree matures and transforms into a sturdy bench-shaped tree, then the mold can be removed and used elsewhere.
The entire process normally takes half a day for two people and achievable by professional garden contractors. Tenir means to hold or hold on in French. This is exactly how the tree begins to transform into usable furniture in a natural way.
Meanwhile, the studio says they chose stainless steel for the material of the mold because of its longevity and reusability. “The initially high ecological impact (of the steel) can be nullified over time because of the circular use of the mold, as well as the high number of planted trees involved,” Studio Part founder Julie Van Mulders told Dezeen.
The studio also chose to weave live willow trees into the mold because it “shows that man and nature are woven together.” This traditional method is common in outdoor structures including domes, arbors, and tunnels, because .
“The technique has the potential to genuinely make a completely green, unsolidified and even CO2-negative object,” the designer explained. Van Mulders says the public presence and use of Tenir helps “spread the philosophy and beauty behind working with living materials.”
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Images courtesy of Amber Vanbossel/Studio PART
