PROJECT: WOOD:
Dolan Cellarette | Moose Antler Chair
Baltic Birch (Betula spp.)
CR E ATOR :
Trevor O’Neil | Trevor O’Neil Design
I
n his Chicago workshop Trevor O’Neil transforms the mundane into creative, functional pieces of art. One of O’Neil’s favorite mediums is Baltic birch plywood, a material often considered a commodity. “It is so versatile. Plywood is the workhorse of the design industry,” says O’Neil. “If I have a design in my mind I automatically think, what part of this is plywood? What can I send through the CNC router? And how can I manufacture it efficiently?” Several of the pieces O’Neil has exhibited in 2011, like the Dolan Cellarette, utilize plywood as a framing substructure. This free-standing liquor or wine cabinet is a modern take on a classic 19th century concept. Cellarettes are traditionally made from mahogany, yet the Dolan Cellarette is unavoidably hip, built from a Baltic birch plywood frame and clad in aluminum with a sculptural tree carved from aspen and dyed dark. “You can do anything with plywood,” says O’Neil. “There are no worries that it will warp or swell, and it is free of knots.” Many of O’Neil’s designs, such as the Folding Starfish Chair and the Moose Antler Chair, feature plywood as an aesthetic component. “Baltic birch is unpretentious. It carries the shape of the design without competing with it,” says O’Neil who often takes the material to the CNC as a means of expressing his creativity. “It is sturdy and strong. The surface of the plywood is nice and smooth. Plus it sands and polishes nicely. Great material.” ■
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