Number One Common is a timber grade often overlooked in favour of cleaner, straight-grained wood, leading to unnecessary waste and underutilization of a valuable resource. With its natural variation - knots, colour shifts, and irregular grain - it often requires more work to make it viable for large-scale production.
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Rather than hiding these characteristics, a system was developed to embrace them. A simple yet effective approach to joining and patching maximizes the timber’s potential. The butterfly joint, traditionally sharp-edged in handcraft, was given rounded corners to speed up production and highlight its machine-made nature - turning a functional necessity into a defining motif. This soft triangular shape then runs throughout the collection giving it its visual language, making the timber both practical and expressive.
The Common Room concept plays on the timber grade’s name while addressing a real need. As people return to offices and workspaces become more flexible -balancing work, community, and privacy - can simple, adaptable pieces support these shifts? And can the rich character of Number One Common enhance well-being through a biophilic connection to nature?
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