An international creative collaborator and invaluable material resource, The American Hardwood Export Council (AHEC) is the global face of U.S. hardwoods, championing their performance, sustainability and aesthetic potential to timber markets all over the world.
Launching at 3daysofdesign, AHEC’s 'No.1 Common' exhibition makes the case for often-overlooked hardwood qualities in design. Four visionary designers–Andu Maseabo, Daniel Schofield, Anna Maria Øfstedal Eng and Kia Utzon-Frank–unveil unique works crafted by Benchmark workshop, each championing a sustainable approach to material selection: ‘use what nature provides’. On display at the Material Matters exhibition, it takes its name from a hardwood timber grade which is currently overlooked in Europe. 'No.1 Common' is an argument for broadening the grade’s usage categories, presenting visually and texturally unique designs to showcase its potential as a sustainable, aesthetically rich and high–performance design material.