Material of the modern world, set to open on july 15. Between july 15 and november 12, 2017, the victoria. Plywood is arguably the most modern design artifact. Material of the modern world is, hunt claims, a worldfirst exhibition on a worldchanging material. Our customers have access to well over 200 species worldwideboth domestics and exoticsall responsibly sourced. From chairs by alvar aalto, marcel breuer and charles and ray eames through to a 1960s british racing car with a plywood chassis, the versatile eclecticism of plywood is underscored. The evolving productivities of material extraction, processing, synthesis. Get a first look at the capsule collection of small plywood pieces we created together.
Material of the modern world is at the victoria and albert museum, london, until 12 november. Ran from 15 july 2017 to 12 november 2017 find out more. Its widely used in industrial, domestic and architectural design, but plywood is little understood. Making the modern world christopher wilk discusses plywood. This unique building guide offers 73 innovative ideas for using plywood to make everything from. All we need is a latterday aalto or eames to realise the full potential of this development, and the sequel to plywood. Oct, 2017 happily, the plywood to construct the exhibition itself was donated by james latham, the timber company which, in the course of its 250year history, during the war also supplied plywood to build aeroplanes. Tucked away in fethardonsea, co wexford is the workshop of furniture. Plywood is an astonishingly versatile material, made by gluing together layers of crossgrained veneers, creating a pliable board that can be stronger than solid wood. How plywood is made material, making, used, processing. Find out more about plywood with our fascinating exhibition book.
Known for being light, strong, affordable and versatile, plywood is the unlikely material behind an eclectic array of ground breaking designs celebrated in the exhibition. The temporary exhibition in the porter gallery celebrates the varied history of plywood and how the material has shaped our modern world becoming a leading material for manufacturers. This book traces the history of plywood from its use in 18thcentury furniture, through its emergence as an industrial product in the 19th century, to a material celebrated by 20thcentury. This book traces the history of plywood from its use in 18thcentury furniture. Jul, 2017 this exhibition opens at the victoria and albert museum on 15 july 2017. The potted history of plywood is told, inside the plywood. Architectural plywood hardwood panels timber products. Materials and dematerialization considers the principal materials used throughout history, from wood and stone, through to metals, alloys, plastics, and silicon, describing their extraction and production as well as their dominant applications. After world war ii and the advent of sophisticated synthetic glues, the process of pealing a log like an apple, into thin continuous sheets of wood or veneers and then laminating them together under heat and pressure, produced large sheets of plywood. Jul 19, 2017 from ancient egyptian mummy boxes to opensource digital construction, plywood has been on quite a journey. Astonishingly, shackleton and his crew took a printing press on their expedition to.
Material of the modern world explores the materials use from the 1850s to present day. Who would have guessed that the material plywood had such varied and surprising uses, from the famed ww2 mosquito bomber airplane to spruce veneer bathing suits. Light, strong and versatile, plywood is the surprising material celebrated in this worldfirst exhibition. Material of the modern world providing the chance to enjoy a quintessentially british experience within one of londons most beautiful buildings, benugo has partnered with the victoria and. The modest material of plywood gets the prestigious treatment of a dedicated exhibition this summer at the victoria and albert museum in london. Carol ocallaghan visits an exhibition dedicated to plywood an often overlooked material which has now captured the imagaination of architects and designers with its sustainable ongoing value. Although thousands of years ago the egyptians began. The victoria and albert museum in london is celebrating the history and applications of plywood in its newest exhibition plywood.
Even if you dont know that cocurator christopher wilk has devoted years to creating he exhibition plywood. Oct 23, 2019 in a recent phone interview, wilk said he had proposed the exhibition, plywood. Material of the modern world, which celebrates this humble materials global impact from the 1850s onwards riba journal. The term composite is used to describe any wood material bonded together with adhesives. Bent ply is the first book devoted to plywood in modern design. Stylish and practical, plywood offers huge possibilities for experimental design, and it has been used to make a wide range of products, from aeroplanes, boats and automobiles to architecture and furniture. Used to make everything from hatboxes, tea chests, surfboards and skateboards, plywood has been embraced by designers, architects and engineers over the years to startling effect, with each successive generation finding evermore innovative ways to shape. The technique of layering crossgrained veneers to make a material stronger than solid wood has been around for a long time. Modern plywood anderson plywood sales modern polywood types. The exhibition brings together significant new research with new acquisitions and objects that have never before been on public display. Durable, robust, repairable, reusable, highly hygienic wood is known for its long life even in unsuitable spaces due to its structure. A material story victoria and albert museum 01 by christopher wilk isbn. The subtitle of the exhibition is material of the modern world. Plywood is not affected by the change in temperature of the.
An exquisite aalto drawing of his 1939 finnish pavilion shows a threetiered wall of sculptural plywood inspired by the northern lights. Find out more about plywood with our fascinating exhibition book, plywood. Plywood, which is not affected by moisture and humidity, would be a great choice for making a woodenlooking wardrobe. An ideal material for the digital age, plywood has become popular again in recent years and is widely used in contemporary design and manufacture. Material of the modern world explores the materials global impact and history from the 1850s to the present day. The victoria and albert museum explores the many qualities of plywood in a ground breaking exhibition entitled plywood. We offer a full range of hardwood veneer species in a variety of grades and core options, including exotic veneers in any order quantity. The first products were modular shelf units designed by wells coates and manufactured by venesta pritchards then employer. Although thousands of years ago the egyptians began gluing together thin sheets of timber so that the. Oct 25, 2012 a 5by5foot panel of baltic birch became a onepiece headboard for my queensize bed, with plenty of material left over.
Plywood has not done itself any favours by being cheap and cheerful, as this show points out. From cars to aeroplanes, furniture to architecture and handmaking to digital manufacture, plywood is the oftenoverlooked material that has helped shape the modern world. An ideal material for the digital age, plywood has become popular again in recent. In a recent phone interview, wilk said he had proposed the exhibition, plywood. Aug 27, 2017 even if you dont know that cocurator christopher wilk has devoted years to creating he exhibition plywood. To counter this image, the laminated wood manufacturers met and finally settled on the term plywood to describe the new material. Light, strong and versatile, plywood is the surprising material celebrated in this worldfirst exhibition, plywood. One of the designers in my book turned a single sheet of plywood into a 40by72inch dining table, and he had enough cutoff material to build up the edges so the tabletop appears to be 1 12inch thick. Sep 19, 2017 an astounding book, all the more so because of its unassuming title. It takes great attention to detail to create the same grain consistency in the veneer of our architectural plywood. Making the modern world christopher wilk discusses. Plywoods growing reputation as a strong and durable construction material was soon put to the extreme test by war.
This book traces the history of plywood from its use in 18thcentury furniture, through its emergence as an industrial product in the 19th century, to a material celebrated by 20thcentury modernists such as alvar aalto and charles and ray eames. The exhibition highlights plywood as the unsung hero and it is true that many of our designs would not be possible without this innovative, versatile material. In this chapter, woodbased composite materials are classified into the following categories. Although thousands of years ago the egyptians began gluing together thin sheets of timber so that the cross grains strengthened the panel, it was during the industrial revolution that the material took off. Material of the modern world exhibition, through over 120 objects, ranging from the furniture to. A 5by5foot panel of baltic birch became a onepiece headboard for my queensize bed, with plenty of material left over. Were proud manufacturers of hardwood plywood unrivaled in quality and environmental responsibility. Looking back through the last 250 years, this exhibition retraces the technological developments that made plywood the ubiquitous material it is today. Featuring pieces by alvar aalto, marcel breuer and charles and ray eames, alongside an incredible range of objects from planes to skateboards, this exhibition tells the story of how this oftenoverlooked material made the modern world. Make sleek and functional home furnishings from inexpensive plywood and other offtheshelf materials using only basic hand and power tools. Jul 26, 2017 all we need is a latterday aalto or eames to realise the full potential of this development, and the sequel to plywood. Our hardwood plywood is environmentally certified and meets the strictest emission requirements in north america. Author wilk not only describes these myriad forms, but places them in historical and cultural context.
Claro walnut, english sycamore, rosewood, and teak are just a few of the exotic hardwood veneers we offer. Taking you on a journey from tree to board, watch our animation to discover how plywood is made. Plywoods surprising role in shaping our modern world cnn style. The underrated material that shaped our modern world. The new exhibition in the porter gallery celebrates the materials history and how it has shaped our modern world. Material of the modern world, held at victoria and albert museum, london, 15 july 12 november 2017. Free to visit, plywood is a chronological walk through the history of a fascinating material. Material of the modern world exhibition, through over 120 objects, ranging from the furniture to architecture. Material of the modern world a temporary exhibition at the victoria and albert museum has recently opened to the public.
Material of the modern world at victoria and albert. And while plywood, undeniably, has a long and fascinating history, it is perhaps the ennui of. Material of the modern world fails to show why its subject was just that an important material for the modern world. Featuring groundbreaking pieces by alvar aalto, marcel breuer and charles and ray eames, alongside an incredible range of objects from planes to skateboards, this exhibition tells the story of how this oftenoverlooked material made the modern world. Material of the modern world, which celebrates this humble materials global impact from the 1850s onwards. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. This exhibition tells the story of how the material made the modern world, featuring pieces by alvar aalto, marcel breuer and charles and ray eames, alongside a range of objects from planes to skateboards. You might know it from a chair, or a sheet in a timber yard, but it has been popping up in many. From ancient egyptian mummy boxes to opensource digital construction, plywood has been on quite a journey. In 1940, the association sponsored the house in the sun, the first of many plywood demonstration houses. It is an engineered wood from the family of manufactured boards which include mediumdensity fibreboard mdf and particle board chipboard all plywoods bind resin and wood fibre sheets cellulose cells.
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