What can designers achieve with wood…? We find out at fascinating exhibition at the Design Museum in London where the experience of isolation during the pandemic has found form, entirely in wood. Wallpaper* and the American Hardwood Export Council (AHEC)invited 20 of the world’s emerging design talents to come up with ideas and now you can see the results.

Chair / Child’s Slide by Martin Thübeck from Sweden. Made from American red oak

It’s so great to be out and about again. And it was a treat to go to the press preview for this show at the Design Museum in Kensington and see so much creativity in one place. AHEC and Wallpaper* have collaborated to pick 20 emerging designers from 16 countries charging them with the opportunity to create furniture, objects and sculptural works in wood.

Thought Bubble by Nong Chotipatoomwan from red oak, made by Fowseng

There’s nothing better than talking to an artist or designer about their work. Isolation was a challenge for all of us but these 20 designers have used the experience as an opportunity to think about their work and reflect the impact of the last 18 months in a 3D form, often functional.

Ra Chair and child’s slide by Martin Thubeck from red oak, made by Wewood

Several of the pieces offered multi-functional solutions such as Martin Thübeck creation which could be a chair or a slide for a small child.

Josh Krute from Finland showed me his intriguing stackable storage system with elegant bent wood. Living in a small space during lockdown certainly concentrated the brain, he said.

The Riverside Bench by Juan Carlos Franco and Juan Santiago used American Cherry to create a versatile bench which works in the home, at work and has built in containers and surfaces.