This solid oak bench is composed of three thick upright sections, with concealed joinery, whose form is the result of combining cutouts from the same oak tree. As thick sections are not strong enough when the grain is pulled apart, Ciprian devised special oak butterfly keys, buried underneath the seat, to keep everything together. His aim was to explore archaic geometry in his design, through a repetition of vertical segments.
Height 45 cm
Width 31 cm
Length 90
© Ciprian Manda
© Roald Aron
© Ciprian Manda
© Ciprian Manda
© Ciprian Manda
Ciprian Manda
- Furniture maker
- Bucharest, Romania
- Master Artisan
Contact
Romanian, English
Hours:
By appointment only
By appointment only
Phone:
+40 721379313
+40 721379313
© Ciprian Manda
An exploration of geometry
- • Ciprian handmakes wooden furniture
- • His creations are inspired by nature
- • He originally trained as an architect
An architect by trade, Ciprian Manda began his journey in woodworking over a decade ago, when he felt the urge to create objects from scratch with his own hands. The first items he made in his studio were a few high stools using thick tree trunk crosscuts; he still uses those stools today in his home. Ciprian works with hardwoods in order to create unique furniture pieces that remind us of nature and reflect its beauty. He considers himself privileged to be close to the wood and the tools that shape it, which is why his first ground rule is to treat the material with care and respect. He invests a lot of time in object design and detailed planning, capabilities he acquired while practising architecture.
Read the full interviewWorks
Photo: © Ciprian Manda
3X Fagacea bench
Photo: © Ciprian Manda
Pyramid desk & storage
This desk was created as a balance experiment, by inverting a wooden pyramid to make a functional object. It has a large surface area and combines solid oak construction with a stainless steel support frame. As the strict geometry of the piece called for a natural touch, Ciprian added some round holes to the desktop and allowed green ivy to flow through them.
Height 90 cm
Depth 75 cm
Length 135
Photo: © Roald Aron
Zig Zag cupboard
This low cupboard with simple geometry shows off the beautiful grain of the wide oak boards it is made of. Small oak dovetail keys provide stability for a natural crack in one of the boards, a small visual accent in an otherwise minimalist object. The metal base, which is also like a graphic sign, provides airy support and creates dynamic interaction between the main body and the floor.
Height 60 cm
Depth 45 cm
Length 300
Photo: © Roald Aron
Large round table
A large round table made from solid pine supported on a series of legs. Drawing inspiration from rowing boats, it served as a large display platform for the Romanian stand at the Great River Race in London. From the textured table top to the joinery details of the legs, it has many small details. Made to be disassembled and transported by truck, it took up to two hours to install the 14 segments which make up the top, which rests on five self-supporting beams.
Diameter 600 cm
Height 75 cm
Photo: © Roald Aron
Alpha table
Made mostly from oak and a few strategically placed metal parts, the Alpha table has a simple, almost graphic geometry. The apparent 'magic' of its balancing act is made possible by the use of a heavy oak base, which gets thinner towards the edges, and two metal beams for stability. A special feature of the table is its top, made from a single oak plank, which showcases the tree’s entire history through its texture, its cracks and knots.
Length 230 cm
Height 90 cm
Width 75 cm
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