The work of Copenhagen-based architect and designer Else-Rikke Bruun intersects traditional craft practices and a contemporary approach to research-led design.
Fascinated by the accumulation of knowledge present in craft practices passed down through generations, Else-Rikke views her work as an important step in creating new traditions that merge the past and the future. Each project starts with a thematic framework in which craft techniques, materials, and typologies are fused together – resulting in harmonious work from a seemingly disparate mix of ingredients. For a period of time, her studio has focused on investigating the design of screening objects – creating spatial furniture that unites her training within architecture and design.
Textile Veneer presents a flexible piece of spatial furniture inspired by textile structures and patterns. Viewed from afar as a solid structure, the use of layered, intersecting slivers of birch plywood veneer move in a wave-like motion to create cavities of negative space within the overall structure. These open cavities allow light to partially intersect the piece – resulting in a dance of light and shadow as both illumination and the user interact with the screen. Utilizing CNC milling technology, the birch plywood structure simply slots together, allowing flexibility in the formed structure; individual units can be formed into curvaceous environments or linked together to create larger spaces. This flexibility imitates the Japanese typology of spatial planning – traditional screens and removable walls that allow alternative functions within a single space. In contemporary times, when the mixed-use of the home has taken on extra importance, Bruun views her ongoing fascination with screening objects as a transformative daily tool – combining functionality with a high visual aesthetic.
