Nordic Design | Regional Sourcing

Image by Neo Hytter

Nordic design represents a clean, minimalist approach, balanced with a rootedness in the natural world.

Other design movements of the 20th century, such as modernism, share a rejection of excess and a celebration of simplicity or utilitarianism. However, they don’t typically evoke the warmth and connection to nature that Nordic design embodies.

Central is the presence of wood, embraced as a critical element in flooring, walls & ceilings, and furnishings. This should not be surprising, given that the forest area per capita in Scandinavian countries is higher than for the rest of Europe and the world average.

• Two-thirds of Sweden’s land area is covered by forests, making it one of Europe’s most heavily forested countries.
• Though smaller in landmass, 75% of Finland’s land area is covered by forest.
• Norway’s trees cover about 40 percent of the Norwegian mainland.

Recent studies in biophilia amplify wood’s ability to connect people with nature in meaningful ways. Terrapin Bright Green reports that the visual presence of wood boosts feelings of warmth and comfort and lowers participants’ blood pressure and stress. Nordic design’s tendency to use wood in ways that are simple, natural and stripped down is the way to maximize this effect.

Just as Nordic design uses regional materials sourced from surrounding forests, we look to our own flourishing hardwood forests and to our overlooked urban landscapes. Felled trees in urban areas produce an estimated 7.2 billion board feet of lumber annually, most of which is burned, mulched or landfilled. At Urban Evolutions, we have developed relationships with municipalities to rescue these fallen trees in order to create beautiful, live-sawn urban wood products. We have also cultivated relationships with select harvest foresters whose practices focus on maintaining forest health and generativity.

The influence of Nordic design is found worldwide. Below are a few global projects that give us inspiration.

Our live-sawn slicing method is a further celebration of these less conventional sourcing methods as well as the spirit of Nordic design. Live sawn describes a traditional and historic slicing method for lumber, commonly used across Europe and throughout the Nordic design movement. This technique, combined with our ecological sourcing, produces a less predictable, whole-grained appearance in flooring, wall and ceiling cladding, table-top and veneer plywood.

Urban Ash Harvested from Midwest     |     Urban Ash Flooring & Shelving Urban 

Our current focus is on fallen ash due to the upper Midwest’s infestation of Emerald Ash Borer. We also offer select harvest white oak and walnut species. In addition, we work with regions throughout the country to source underutilized materials. Contact us directly for current inventory.

Visit our UE LIVE SAWN page to learn more about this collection.

Sources
https://www.fao.org/3/Y1997E/y1997e0x.htm
https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/european-countries-with-the-most-forest-cover.html