Future Heirlooms invites seven South African designers to think freely in order to create an object or a piece of furniture that fully encapsulates the themes of sustainability, longevity and quality. How do our objects help promote these themes in an increasingly fast-paced world? How can we foster a sense of thoughtful, intentional, and holistic design in order to slow down excessive production, overcomplicated supply chains, mindless consumption and waste?

On 1st October 2021, the USA Pavilion at EXPO 2020 Dubai welcomed its first guests. Designed by global architecture studio Woods Bagot and delivered by global experience design firm Thinkwell Group, the USA Pavilion spans over 4,000 square meters. The design incorporates standout elements in naturally finished solid American red oak, including the interior main staircase, bench seating, and feature walkthrough in the main auditorium and exterior cladding surrounding the imposing main entrance. Facilitated by the American Hardwood Export Council (AHEC) and donated and installed by Dubai-based wood flooring specialists Lobo & Listone, the red oak provides a natural counterpoint to the otherwise ultramodern design.

Our new online tool shows the forest distribution, growth and removal of American hardwood species across the United States and is available online, now. This technology presents accurate information at fantastic detail – from the whole of the United States down to individual counties – and demonstrates visually the true sustainability of American hardwoods.

This publication translated into Arabic combines AHEC’s guide to species and the guide to lumber grades into a single illustrated and comprehensive guide to sustainable American hardwoods. The front half of the publication gives a full breakdown of the properties, applications, environmental credentials of the commercially available U.S. hardwood species. The back gives a simplified explanation of the NHLA grading system, which is the national standard for the U.S. hardwood lumber industry and forms the basis for export grading.

Thermally-modified American red oak is celebrated by South African designers Stephen Wilson and Phillip Hollander in a sensational, gravity-defying play on their contemporary folk style