Stockholm 2015: Swedish industrial designer Jenny Nordberg built each item of furniture in her latest collection by hand in under five minutes (+ movie).
Nordberg wanted to investigate whether it is possible to hand-make interesting furniture items at mass-production speeds.
The 3 to 5 Minutes collection comprises two armchairs with cushions, a small trolley and a dining table with four chairs.
The designer started with a range of materials including pre-cut Valchromat engineered wood, locally sourced pre-cut pine, study clay that does not need firing, linseed oil and lacquer – all of which can be found in a high-street hardware shop.
Nordberg fabricated the entire collection in less than an hour, using simple hand tools.
"The discussion about whether speed and handmade goes together or not is delicate," Nordberg told Dezeen. "Many crafters really dislike speed but for me it can be interesting. Speed is not automatically the opposite of skill."
The collection was made from planks of Valcromat, which were screwed together to create boxy shapes.
An angled element sits with the frame of a chair to form a back rest, while the seat is made from a thin pine plank that contrasts with the mottled grey boards.
Clay was added to the arms to soften the sharp corners and create handles for lifting and carrying the lightweight design.
The trolley looks similar to the chair, with a central pine shelf echoing the seat.
The collection was informed by practical considerations of how it could be made within the timeframe.
"The design, materials and details are all the result of the lack of time," said Nordberg. "For example – the coating does not cover the whole surface, details are few and imperfect, assembly screws are visible and the design is restrained. This kind of aesthetic would never have occurred if I had had oceans of time."
This project follows Nordberg's previous collection, for which she made tableware and accessories in just three to five seconds, including candle holders made from the same quick-drying ceramic clay.
The most recent range was launched earlier this month at Stockholm Furniture Fair as part of Twelve – an exhibition of work by a dozen designers curated by Disengo editor-in-chief Johanna Agerman Ross.