I started with different shades of wood: sandblasted sawdust, split firewood, and OSB boards. But I just couldn't land on a concept that convinced me. And since USM already has such a strong identity, I felt a need to break away from its strict structure. The benches were also going to be used for DS Talks, which would host debates on design and sustainability.

Then it hit me: The most sustainable thing would have been to not build anything at all—just return the frame and let people sit on the floor. But that felt a bit too conceptual. So, I got the idea to ask the audience to sit on a fictional weed-filled lawn or in a field. The thought is that you literally have to "tread the grass" and maybe a bit reluctantly plow your way to a seat.

I also scraped the paint off the panels I received and let them rust, so the bench looks as if it has been out in the landscape for years, giving the impression of furniture that has lived well beyond its expected lifespan.

The frame or scope was already given, and I got the extra panels from the used materials stock at StudioM3. The interior box itself is lined with fabric and filled with sawdust from Strønes Snekkerverksted. Finally, I added soil and grass on top.

The first "field" was from a planted area where the seeds were sown too late to mature before winter. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to keep them alive, and they withered after a couple of weeks. What's planted there now, I got from a construction site where the ground had been dug up. They were happy to have me take it away. I had to care for my field along the way—tying it up, cutting, and tending to it to keep it alive. I got the panels to rust in one day with a mixture of sodium carbonate and vinegar essence.

I rarely start with a finished form that the material has to be pressed into. Instead, I let the form grow out of the material conditions themselves. I often use cut-offs that I intuitively piece together until a stable form emerges.

I also split wood from branches that are not suitable for sawmills and would otherwise be burned, so I can follow the natural grain of the fibers. In addition, craftsmanship and the communication of it are an important part of my practice, as a craftsperson can make better use of materials and adapt to their challenges in ways that the industry cannot.

During Designers' Saturday 2025, I am also exhibiting three pieces at Myhrens verksted for the DS Unika exhibition that exemplify this approach.