Armadillo Furniture Pieces Weave Tradition and Creativity
Designers Lukas Wegwerth and Corinna Dehn have introduced an innovative collection at Galleri Fumi in London, using facade shingles from Germany‘s Vogelsberg region. Unveiled during the Companions exhibition, the collection includes two cabinets, a sideboard, a birdhouse, a dining table, and a standalone screen, alongside earlier works from the series.
Historical Inspiration Meets Modern Craft
The concept arose from Wegwerth’s renovation of his grandmother’s house, which was adorned with weathered wooden shingles dating back to the 1800s. Wegwerth and Dehn became intrigued by the shingles’ potential, noting, “A shingle becomes a system component created from wood chunks that are otherwise unused, aside from firewood.”
These shingles, a vital habitat for wild bees and insects, transform facades with their visual vibrancy. Wegwerth and Dehn sourced shingles from various origins, including the grandmother’s house and local construction sites, ensuring each piece carried its historical and aesthetic richness.
Revitalizing Wood Through Artistic Treatment
The shingles underwent cleaning, brushing, and sanding, followed by distinct treatments to craft various finishes. Some were stained in multiple colors to blend fluidly, while others received linseed oil paints or ebonization through tannins, rust, and slaked lime treatments, darkening the wood. The use of these wood shingles showcases an innovative approach to design.
Armadillo Furniture: Creatures of Imagination Shape the Collection
The collection’s organic and playful designs echo woodland creatures, which blend architectural inspiration with whimsical fantasy. This playful essence attributed to the exhibition’s title, Companions, resonates with the notion of “friendly monsters.”
Wegwerth and Dehn acknowledge the complexity of covering curvilinear forms in shingles, emphasizing the need for bespoke shingle sizing and shaping, akin to the natural scales on a fish or their furniture creations.
Wooden Creations: Shingles as Both Challenge and Art
Crafting these intricate designs presented a challenge, where the artists discovered the pieces’ final visual outcomes only at completion. “The thickness of the shingle coat adapts to the complexity of the forms, revealing the silhouettes and tonal values gradually,” Wegwerth and Dehn shared about their designs.
Previous projects at Galleri Fumi have included minimalistic rubber furnishings and cardboard box creations. Companions will be showcased at Galleri Fumi from October 6 to November 21, 2026.
The photographs, credited to Penguins Egg, demonstrate the evocative interplay between repurposed materials and imaginative design. Explore more design events on the Dezeen Events Guide.
Source: dezeen.com
Frequently asked questions
What inspired the use of reclaimed shingles?
The use of reclaimed shingles was inspired by Lukas Wegwerth’s renovation of his grandmother’s house, which was adorned with weathered wooden shingles dating back to the 1800s. The designers saw potential in these shingles as a system component from wood chunks typically unused except for firewood.
How were the shingles treated for the furniture pieces?
The shingles underwent cleaning, brushing, and sanding, followed by distinct treatments to create various finishes. Treatments included staining in multiple colors, applying linseed oil paints, and ebonization through tannins, rust, and slaked lime treatments.
When will the Companions exhibition take place?
The Companions exhibition will be showcased at Galleri Fumi from October 6 to November 21, 2026.
More in
Furniture
All Furniture
More in
Design
All Design
