Ben Percy uses thermally-modified American ash to make seating that not only looks good, but works as well.
August 6th, 2013
“Functional, beautiful, sustainable and also individual” is how designer Ben Percy describes great design and these are all elements that he strives for in each piece of furniture he creates.
A design and technology graduate, Percy received an Australian Decorative and Fine Arts Societies Young Arts Scholarship to the prestigious Sturt School for Wood. At Sturt, Percy has been able to hone his considerable talents and develop a style that exhibits clean lines, simplicity and succinctness.
The Rocker – Ben Percy
“I’m not creating art pieces. I make beautiful handcrafted furniture that works”he says. His careful consideration for the end use of his creations is evident and seeing his work succeed in term of both aesthetics and function gives him immense satisfaction. “Last year a lady sat in my rocking chair (The Rocker), stood up and said to me “That is the easiest chair that I have ever gotten in and out of. Ever.” She was in her eighties and had severe arthritis”.
He believes that his work comes to life when people have the opportunity to interact with it “my chairs provide an articulated seating experience” he says.
The Pod – Ben Percy
Like many emerging designers, Ben Percy is careful in selecting sustainable species and aims for enduring quality. “As individuals we can all make a difference to minimize excessive consumption simply in the way we buy” he says. This sentiment is evident in his ‘Pod’ chair, inspired by Eero Aarnio’s iconic Fibreglass Ball Chair. Percy’s Pod is made from 256 pieces of recycled timber. Each piece individually shaped to ensure they had the required taper and draft angle to form the complex structure.
Ben Percy
Percy is currently collaborating with the American Hardwood Export Council to produce a bench created from thermally modified American ash supplied by Britton Timbers in Sydney. Thermally-modified American hardwoods are in increasing demand in Australia as they offer weather and decay resistance, making them ideal for outdoor use. “I’m impressed with how stable it is and well it machines,” Percy says “As I am creating a bench using a solid coopered structure, I was required to split the boards several times to achieve the angles. Throughout this process the boards did not change shape at all”.
American black walnut detail
“Australia has some incredible young furniture designers who are keen to work with good quality, environmentally honest materials such as American hardwoods. We had heard of Ben through various sources and were delighted when he agreed to collaborate with ourselves and Britton Timbers on this project” said Rod Wiles, Director for AHEC Oceania.
See Ben’s American ash designs for yourself! The thermally-modified pieces will be on display at Galleria this August for Sydney Indesign.
(Hero Image: Flex Chaise – Ben Percy)
American Hardwood Export Council
Ben Percy Designs
Sydney Indesign
Images © Muller-Maher Photography
A searchable and comprehensive guide for specifying leading products and their suppliers
Keep up to date with the latest and greatest from our industry BFF's!
Suitable for applications ranging from schools and retail outlets to computer rooms and X-ray suites, Palettone comes in two varieties and a choice of more than fifty colours.
Marylou Cafaro’s first trendjournal sparked a powerful, decades-long movement in joinery designs and finishes which eventually saw Australian design develop its independence and characteristic style. Now, polytec offers all-new insights into the future of Australian design.
In the pursuit of an uplifting synergy between the inner world and the surrounding environment, internationally acclaimed Interior Architect and Designer Lorena Gaxiola transform the vibration of the auspicious number ‘8’ into mesmerising artistry alongside the Feltex design team, brought to you by GH Commercial.
The building boasts 171 years of history and an iconic Sydney location. Now, with Woods Bagot’s redesign complete, one of the city’s premier hotels has been fully revitalised.
Queensland Premier and Minister for Reconstruction Anna Bligh has called for entries to the 2011 Queensland Premier’s Design Awards. Emerging and established Queensland designers are encouraged to enter for the chance to be awarded a $40 000 Fellowship (for a design leader) and a $10 000 travel bursary (for an emerging designer). “Queensland has a […]
Are start-ups looking for something more from their workplaces – some sort of connection with the past and a counterpoint to their ephemeral work and the ‘corporate culture’? We talk to US-based Leeser Architecture to find out.
Achieving synergy between civic spaces, community and commercial projects. QIC Global Real Estate, Maroondah City Council and The Buchan Group reveal the core ingredients making the integration of Town Square and Realm at Eastland Ringwood a new hybrid.
The internet never sleeps! Here's the stuff you might have missed
Welcome to the year of the Design Effect. This year’s theme aims to showcase the profound ripple effects that exceptional design can have on people, place and planet. Join in shaping this narrative by contributing your perspective before May 3, 2024, and become a part of the Design Effect movement.
BLP announces the topping out of Health Infrastructure’s $658m Sydney Children’s Hospital Stage 1 and Minderoo Children’s Comprehensive Cancer Centre building.
When iconic brands wield their influence, the ripples extend far beyond aesthetics. And so when the MillerKnoll collective formed, the very concept of design shifted, supercharging the industry’s aspiration to create a better world into an unwavering sense of responsibility to do so.