Aleksandra Maria Szewc

Stave


Out of the Woodworks

STAVE is a family of vases that breathes new life into the forgotten craft of cooperage, blending it seamlessly with contemporary carpentry technologies.

The vases are made from old wooden buckets and retain their original function of storing water. They are precisely manufactured using CNC milling technology which makes it possible to bypass the turning process, offer a new aesthetic and highlight the construction details. To increase durability and prevent the vases from warping, the inside is treated with the ancient Japanese technique of wood burning called “Yakisugi”. This technique gives the vases a distinctive aesthetic, contrasting with the natural textures of wood and changing their appearance.

My intention with this family of vases is to renew ancient wood practices for contemporary objects, emphasizing the ecological aspects by reusing wood without the need for glue while presenting the clever simplicity of the cooperage craft in a new light.


Vase 1: Pine wood, H 31 × D 13.5 cm
Vase 2: Pine wood, H 24 × D 10.5 cm
Vase 3: Alder wood, H 24 × D 10.5 cm
This project was supported by a grant from Ikea Foundation Switzerland.