Compound Curved Veneer

At a time when increasingly complex veneer shells are often achieved through specialized materials such as 3D veneer, the project proposes an alternative approach rooted in the inherent properties of conventional veneer. Rather than modifying the material itself, the project explores how cut-outs can increase the material's ability to deform into compound curvature while simultaneously revealing the logic of the construction. The openings communicate how the form is achieved and become a defining visual characteristic of the resulting forms.

Through a series of experiments, the project investigates the moulding potential of peeled beech veneer, a material widely used in furniture production but rarely exposed as a visible surface. While decorative veneers often favor homogeneous grain patterns and carefully selected appearances, Compound Curved Veneer highlights the aesthetic qualities of peeled beech veneer, embracing its variations in color, texture and grain direction.

Many thanks to Becker Brakel for sponsoring this project and providing the opportunity to move from sample scale to furniture scale. Without their expertise and guidance, the project would not have been realized as Sheets, a monoshell lounge chair.

With its wrinkles and imperfections, the prototype presents the investigation in its most direct form while demonstrating the potential of the cut-out as a tectonic element in moulded veneer.