Four designers have been challenged by the American Hardwood Export Council (AHEC) to make the case for often-overlooked hardwood qualities in design at 3daysofdesign. This June, the exhibition ‘No.1 Common’ lands in Copenhagen and four visionary designers will be unveiling unique works at the festival’s Material Matters fair on 18 – 20 June 2025, each championing a sustainable approach to material selection: ‘use what nature provides’. The designers – Andu Masebo, Anna Maria Øfstedal Eng, Daniel Schofield and Kia Utzon-Frank – have all been tasked to showcase the potential of ‘cabinet grade’ hardwood as a versatile and desirable design material.
Hardwood producers across the world label their lumber on the basis of a number of factors – in the U.S., these include the size of the cutting area, the number of knots or other natural characteristics in the surface, and any variations in color and grain. In other words, the grade reflects the percentage of ‘clear wood’ in the board. Number 1 Common – aka No.1C – hardwood generally comprises the same clear wood as upper grades but in smaller cuttings. Although this category of timber was originally created as the ‘cabinet grade’, specifically selected to be used in cabinetry, flooring or furniture parts, it is not commonly used, in favor of ‘cleaner’ grades of timber.
“Launching at 3daysofdesign, AHEC’s No.1 Common project is an argument for broadening the grade’s usage categories, presenting visually and texturally unique designs to showcase the potential of No.1C hardwoods as aesthetically rich, high-performance design materials,” said Roderick Wiles, AHEC Regional Director. “American hardwood forests contain more than twice the volume of standing timber today as 50 years ago. To maximize the potential of this natural resource, we need to rethink how we use timber – learning to appreciate and utilize not just the most ‘pristine’ cuts, which make up only up to 10% of the tree, but as much of the tree as possible.”
The initial inspiration for the project came when AHEC commissioned the English furniture maker Benchmark to explore the potential of No.1C timber. Benchmark conducted hands-on research to assess the technical, aesthetic and practical possibilities of using this grade of timber in furniture. The goal was not only to push technical boundaries but also to explore the benefits of using No.1C in terms of labor efficiency and yield. Following this, the four designers worked on developing pieces that highlight both the aesthetic appeal and practical benefits of the material, creating designs that reflect the qualities of Number 1 Common while contributing to a more sustainable future.
The resulting exhibition, debuting at Material Matters, will question what quality means when it comes to natural materials and highlight how sustainable and thoughtful material selection can shape the future of our forests and our world. The exhibition aims to demonstrate the shared power and responsibility that designers, industry leaders, and consumers have in prioritizing environmentally conscious decisions, rather than simply following trends that don’t always respect the rhythms and needs of nature. No.1 Common will be open to the public during 3daysofdesign (June 18 – 20, 2025) at Ground floor, Gammel Dok, Strandgade 27B, 1401 København.