Circular bar installed within a Tribeca, NYC restaurant space involved extensive glue up, and use of a darker Walnut tone stain, without losing the natural look and feel of the dense figured antique Pine. The 3″ profile displays a beautiful edge grain.
Two new Stumptown Coffee locations build out much of the interior space with new wood, taking a pass on salvaged woods. There may be at least a few reasons why the vanguard artisan coffee maker made these material choices.
The design choices may not have easily allowed for reclaimed – At the Mhtn location, they used Black Walnut in a herringbone pattern (keep a look out for this growing trend). In Bklyn, they used an alternating color stain on a wider plank Oak. Or they were looking for cleaner modern lines, It could be that weathered antique woods have become almost a cliche for cafe design, that they were looking for a new design direction, while still retaining the natural warmth of wood. Or they were simply looking to save money up front – Probably not the overriding issue, but also added to the fact that reclaimed woods can be more prone to installation challenges and cut-off waste.
Many coffee chains use wood as a building material for the same reason, though with less distinctive designs. Stumptown also chose some funky cross cut tree trunks for their small tables and a semi-distressed blue finish on paneling that set the public space off from the work area. The design seems to come together well, with the new woods mixed with low lighting and tin plate (reproduction painted black). All and all, they seemed to pull off a difficult design aim with new woods – making them feel modern with a nod to the vintage, down-to-earth and still professional – and retaining the coveted look of authenticity – at least in the near term, since there may be a few trade-offs relative to reclaimed.
Sustainability – Are the woods FSC certified or do they just look good?
Shelf life – How will the woods look after a year or two? Scuffs, dents and wear tend to detract from the new floor look- and enhance a reclaimed floor.
Story – Do the woods carry a back story? Newly harvested woods from fast growing tree plantations don’t offer much of a compelling narrative, especially in relation to century old woods from virgin forests.
Without more information on the wood choices, we’re stumped.
The collatoral damage of the technology revolution happens before and after use. The manufacturing of a phone or computer involves a complex mix of toxic materials, sweatshop labor and non-renewable/non-recyclable/non-reusable resources. The troubles may only get sensed when it’s time to retire a product. There once were two options – hope that city services find a way to responsibly discard the item, or establish a personal archive of technology in an area storage unit.
Now there’s a third option. Lower East Side Ecology Center‘s electronic waste recycling is a unique and innovative program that allows residents to dispose of working and non-working electronics in an environmentally responsible way. People can bring unwanted electronics to e-waste collection events that take place in neighborhoods throughout the city, or drop off items at the Gowanus Brooklyn location.
The electronics warehouse will utilize some reclaimed wood from Sawkill Lumber, connecting materials that were once centuries apart.
Annie Proulx’s “Rough Deeds” (New Yorker mag, June ’13) takes us to the heart of early 1700’s logging in the Northeast. The short story centers on a Frenchman named Duquet who amasses vast timber tracts (20,000 acres at 12¢/acre) during the era. While he and an associate are surveying the territory, they come across a crew of men cutting down their towering White Pines. One of the poachers meets the gruesome fate of Duquet’s ax through his skul. An owl witness’ the scene – a signal that the deed will later be repaid. Proulx’s Colonial backwoods noir brings the old growth forests alive.
Ada Louise Huxtable (March 14, 1921 – January 7, 2013) began her career at the Museum of Modern Art (curatorial assistant for Architecture and Design 1946-50) before becoming the first architectural critic of the New York Times (1963-82). She wrote over ten books and was considered a central figure in creating the New York City Landmark Preservation Commission in 1965. In 1970, she won the Pulitzer Prize for architectural criticism.
A love of both historic and modern architecture, and the city that swirled around it, helped her to understand how the built environment can elevate our public and private lives. She responded in criticism that was hard hitting and humor filled, scholarly and street smart, advocating for the best standards that each successive era could attain. What would the city look like without the remarkable work of Ada Louis Huxtable and others, keeping the delicate tension of old and new alive? More historic ruins hauled to the landfill and far less of the architectural marvels that have been built in modern times.
Her academic training was in architectural history and one of her early books, “Classic New York: Georgian Gentility to Greek Elegance”, helped to inspire research and a landmark campaign that began in 2002. A few years ago, I had an opportunity to meet with Ada Louise Huxtable to discuss the 1832 Greek revival warehouse at 211 Pearl Street and the designer of it’s architectural type, Ithiel Town (1784-1844). Even at ninety, her critics edge and poise showed little signs of being dismantled. (photo: NY Times).
The New York Times featured the transformation of a Cobble Hill townhouse by Beastie Boy Mike D. Reclaimed woods were used sparingly, but nonetheless rocked. Mike D also is helping to reclaim the Rockaways after the hurricane disaster, jump starting a food truck that put out over 19,000 meals to hard hit residents. The project rolls on, with food truck job training to area residents. Donations can be made at Rockaway Plate Lunch. photos: NY times
Our location at 71 Troy Avenue in Brooklyn includes a showroom, and a 3600 sf warehouse and wood shop. We are currently open for meetings by appointment. The space features a broad selection of over 40 antique, vintage and rare reclaimed woods.
(917) 862 7910
info@sawkill.nyc
Mon.-Fri. 9:00 – 5:30 pm
Sat. 10-4pm
1 Troy Ave.
Brooklyn, NY 11213
Please call in advance for appointment!
Getting There:
Train: A, C to Utica Ave. train stop. (approx. 8 min walk)
Car: Atlantic Ave. to Troy Ave. (1.5 mi. from Barclay Center)
