Bringing 1861 Wood Bending Technique to the 21st Century

Arik Levy presented his Split and Bloom Collection for Czech furniture company TON at this year’s Salon Del Mobile in Milan. TON, “Producer of the Year” nominee for the Czech Grand Design Awards 2014, has been using the wood bending technique since 1861.

Together with Levy, they found a way to take this well-advanced method to a new level: splitting the wood. This experience highlights Levy’s first time manufacturing a product from single pieces of wood that have been manipulated by splitting and bending.

Levy set out with two goals for this project. The first being to put importance on the ability to split and bend the wood, which we can see at the ‘meeting point’ between the legs of the chair and the seat. In response to Levy’s second task, the chairs come in different finishes.

He also varies the type of wood (such as bamboo, a first for him) used for certain products in the collection, but for Levy the most interesting feature is the gradient applied to some of the chairs. He references his skateboard and surfboard designs when describing his drive to attribute a gradient finish, having first started this ‘look’ on the boards. Sharing the idea from board to chair seems reasonable, and the result is beautiful.

Arik Levy describes the tools and equipment used at TON’s manufacturing house as outdated but futuristic, where every movement takes serious precision and careful technique.

Arik Levy designs. Courtesy of TON.