Steven Banken Case Pieces and Storage Cabinets

‘Never use steel nails in Oak‘ was the advice of Banken’s grandfather. He was a carpenter and blacksmith and forms the basis of this project. Oak contains high concentrations of tannic acid, which turns dark blue when it’s exposed to steel. The same happens with steel, as a result of a chemical reaction between red iron oxide and tannic acid. To accelerate this normally undesirable process the elements that cause this natural transition are applied in liquid form on the other material. Oak drawers are treated with red iron oxide, the rust of steel. Different shades of blue become visible by the intensity of rust. The ratio of drawers is based on the “plastic number” of Hans Dom van der Laan...

Wood has a visible memory. Its surface shows traces of time passing and thus, tells us a story. With the project I-Joist, Steven Banken opens up a new chapter in this story. I-Joist ...