SELECTED WORKS
STEREOTOMA
UPCYCLED LOW TABLE
UPCYCLED LOW TABLE
Illinois Institute of Technology
Instructor: Paul Pettigrew
Spring, 2016
Instructor: Paul Pettigrew
Spring, 2016
"Haec autem ita fieri debent ut habeatur ratio firmitatis, utilitatis, venustatis."
An initial investigation examined the validity of utilizing Vitruvius’ three requirements—strength, utility, and grace—to create a functional object.
— Vitruvius
Account will be taken of strength (Firmitas) when the foundations are carried down to solid ground and when there is a choice of supplies from each material without parsimony; of utility (Utilitas) when the sites are arranged without mistakes or impediments to their use, and when there is a fit and convenient disposition for the aspect of each kind; and of grace (Venustas) when the appearance (Species) of the work is pleasing and elegant (Grata et Elegans), and the scale of constituent parts is justly calculated for symmetry (Symmetriarum Ratiocinationes).
The initial inquiry was to make the best possible use of wood felled by the Emerald Ash Borer in the Chicago area. Two pieces of milled lumber were available for use in a furniture piece. The sincerity of the approach, bypassing flashy design, was meant to be reflected in the quality of workmanship. Instead of relying solely on solid wood components, the table’s construction sought to optimize wood usage while preserving the furniture’s aesthetic appeal and addressing structural integrity concerns.