Winner: Furniture design of the year 2022. Adam & Arthur has designed the Mother and Child, which is made from rye straw.

Adam & Arthur has created a striking example of straw marquetry in a sculptural piece that combines art, craftsmanship and design.

The project is a considered piece created with straw marquetry, a technique that encompasses the art of handcrafting decorative patterns from ribbon-thin, flattened slithers of rye straw. Traditionally white straw is never seen in straw marquetry, as it is challenging to create. After much experimentation a system was created to produce a rich pearlescent tone, requiring over 16,000 individual ribbons of straw.

The result explores sculptural forms and their intersection with straw marquetry to allow the emergence of one form from the other, much like the relationship between mother and child.

Judges comments: "Contemporary design is required to maintain craftmanship and this incredible piece of work demonstrates a fantastic use of ancient technique in a modern and sustainable way. The cabinet is also beautiful and extremely elaborate."

Design studios: Adam & Arthur

Project: Mother and Child