AHEC Europe

In the Clouds

“In the Clouds” with Fujimoto and Wallpaper*

Species: American tulipwood
Architect: Sou Fujimoto
Photographer: Andrea Garuti

Following on from the success of last year’s Handmade exhibition, the international and influential style magazine Wallpaper* returned to the Brioni palazzo in April for this year’s Salone del Mobile in Milan to showcase specially commissioned works and one-off collaborations between the world’s best designers and craftsmen for their summer ‘Handmade’ issue.

Acting as client, patron and creative director, Wallpaper* brought together some of the world’s most respected designers, craftsmen, makers and manufacturers to produce unique furniture, fittings, foodstuffs and fashions as a testimony to craft, skill and vision. The American Hardwood Export Council (AHEC) was invited to collaborate with Wallpaper* and Tokyo-based Sou Fujimoto Architects for the first time in the creation of a bar area for the ‘Handmade’ exhibition, located on the third floor of the Brioni building in the historical centre of Milan. Fujimoto’s design was complex; 10 solid wooden blocks floating in a white space on transparent plinths. Fujimoto said, “For centuries, bars existed as a single ample bar-counter. In this bar, there exist numerous unique bar-counters all floating in space like clouds. Each cloud is a bar-counter and their distribution endows a setting to prompt each ones' activities and to engender communication. Visitors will make their way through the clouds to, flock amongst, sit on, lean on, traverse from one cloud to another, at times amassing around many clouds, and at times converging intimately across a single cloud.”

Within the design of the bar space, the materiality of the timber counter was crucial. One of the greatest challenges was the fabrication of the cloud-like form and the feat of suspending the solid timber mass in space with transparent acrylic support members. The American hardwood species chosen was tulipwood, selected for its lighter weight and naturally workable characteristics. Even though tulipwood is not as heavy as other hardwoods, the third floor of the Brioni building would not carry the weight of ten large solid wooden blocks, so the decision was made to craft the elements from thick wooden planks laminated together. In this way the inside of the elements could be hollow without compromising the concept and appearance of a solid wooden volume. In laminating the wood, the natural characteristics of the tulipwood created interesting patterns on different sides of the timber ‘clouds’ as nuances of white/grey and natural green colours typical for the wood became more visible. “The light tonal variation inherent in the material was both contrasting and harmonious, a beautiful touch in its aesthetics,” said Fujimoto.

Joinery contractor Allestimenti Benfenati Spa worked for full 10 days with 10 carpenters to complete the “In the Clouds” installation, and Frederik De Wachter of Wallpaper’s exhibition designers and production team DWA Interior Architecture said, “The sight of the 10 volumes of the ‘In the Clouds’ installation floating on their plexiglass pedestals in the white space was a relief. Everything went as it had to be. For many of the visitors of the exhibition this special concept was the highlight, and I must admit that I’m proud that DWA had collaborated on it.”

Italian timber distributor Imola Legno supplied the tulipwood for the project. Founded in 1977, Imola Legno is now one of Italy’s biggest forest product wholesale distributors.   Interpreting the needs of a constantly changing market, they are innovative and react well to market changes.   The company works with around 1,500 different products, including American tulipwood.  Like AHEC, Imola Legno see great potential for tulipwood in Italy and wider Europe and are keen to promote tulipwood as an exciting timber that is rarely seen for its natural colour variations. 

Working with tulipwood was a first for Fujimoto: “I am pleased AHEC encouraged us to use it,” he said. “The look and feel is perfect for this piece.” Wallpaper* editor-in-chief Tony Chambers agreed, saying “Sou Fujimoto’s American Hardwood Bar was a highlight of our Handmade exhibition. Part art installation, part social lubricant, it was a treat for the eye and a hub for mingling, networking, sharing ideas and swapping gossip.”  The last word went to AHEC’s European director, David Venables: “We have worked with a number of very interesting architects in the past few years, but our collaboration with the Japanese architect Sou Fujimoto and Wallpaper* was a unique experience. The chosen species for the wooden “clouds” was tulipwood, and Sou Fujimoto’s presentation of this widely used but rarely seen hardwood was definitely original. The vertical orientation of the wood created a dramatic marbled stripe effect on the sides and a mosaic of end grain for the flat surfaces. With just a light wax finish, the real character of this wood was on full show and visitors to the bar area just couldn’t help but gasp, touch, stroke and lean! To evoke such emotion is why we undertake these kinds of creative collaborations; they’re all about challenging perceptions and doing something different, and the reaction to ‘In the Clouds’ was fantastic.”