Scape is an outdoor furniture range designed by one of Australia’s foremost designers, Adam Goodrum, for one of Australia’s most exciting design brands, Tait. Launched at Denfair in June 2019, Scape is a response to the issues and challenges experienced for those living in today’s cities. Poor social connection, a paucity of natural materials and restricted movement impact our creativity, productivity and purpose and, in turn, affect physical and mental wellbeing. Scape answers individual needs and experiences and aims to foster social interaction and reconnection with the natural environment through the creation of flexible modular outdoor furniture that promote socialisation, collaboration, relaxation and communication.
The range is reflective of flowing rock formations warmed and weathered by the sea. Tactile grey or white curves can be finished with an smoked (thermally-modified) American red oak seat, which provides further warmth and comfort to the design. An organic palate of Teal Sea, Burgundy Clay and Banksia Leaf evoke the elements and the result is both distinctive and calming.
As an outdoor range created for the Australian climate, material choice has been critical. The modules are created from a strong but lightweight glass reinforced concrete (GRC), which is considerably more durable than a traditional concrete form and, of course, allows easier positioning of the modules in the range to suit a range of uses. The timber seat has been created from thermally-modified American red oak. The thermal modification processes improves both the durability and dimensional stability of the timber. The timber is heated to the point of combustion in a vacuum, which changes the cell structure of the material and permanently reduces the moisture content. This means the thermally-modified red oak in Scape does not react to changes in humidity. The process both removes any food sources for wood destroying organisms so the timber is especially durable and it also reduces the thermal conductivity of the seating. In short, the American red oak seating is beautiful, strong and cool and comfortable to use. Tait say of their material choice “We’ve found our thermally modified American smoked red oak has been growing in popularity over the years. The timber performs exceptionally in the harsh Australian elements while offering a warm, smooth grain and luxurious look”.
The range comprises a number of different and flexible modules allowing customizable configuration to nudge different behaviours. There is the ability to create a social and cohesive hub or a place to destress and disconnect. Components such as tables, planters or backrests further facilitate fluid use of the modules which adapt to their environment and their user’s needs.
Adam Goodrum says of his new creation “I wanted to bridge the stresses and strains of modern urban life. The collection is comprised of a number of flexible elements, using a natural palate and the option of timber to enhance the design and its performance”.
Tait add “The Scape collection has received an overwhelmingly positive response from the Australian Architecture and Design Industry at Denfair. Post-fair we have seen the collection put forward across a number of applications including education and urban spaces including residential and multi-residential projects. It’s been great to see how the industry has responded to the forward-thinking collection, particularly how they have adapted the collection to achieve specific outcomes within a certain space or landscape”
American red oak exports to Australia have grown in the first 6 months of 2019 and further growth is anticipated across the wider Asia Pacific region. As the most abundant hardwood species in the American forest, red oak is one of only a handful of species suitable for thermal modification.
To find out more about Scape by Adam Goodrum for Tait visit madebytait.com.au
