Green Blueprint: Pushing the Boundaries of Sustainable Design with Malaysian Timber
In Malaysia, a greater emphasis has emerged in architectural and interior design trends to create sustainable spaces. The next generation of design professionals are thinking creatively and using diverse strategies to push the boundaries of sustainable design.
This may include reimagining established spaces to renovate rather than rebuild or to manufacture new items from old building materials. Architects and designers are also adopting sustainable building practices emphasizing a lower carbon footprint and using more natural materials in design. Many international woods are a perfect fit for this moment.
The next generation of Malaysian designers are working hard to create beauty and sustainability in new and innovative ways.
Giving New Life to Old Wood
Often utilizing reclaimed timber, Hani Ali established LAIN Furniture in 2012 to craft bespoke furniture and homewares that draw from Malaysia's rich culture and heritage. Each of her limited-edition pieces is crafted by hand and uniquely designed. For Ali, this isn't just furniture but rather a work of art. She jokes, "there is nothing plain in 'LAIN.'"
Ali works closely with clients to utilize materials removed from old homes during renovation, giving the wood new life and capturing family memories. Common wood types reused include trusses, doors, and windows, but the company gets more creative when the project calls for it. Ali recalls using over 1,000 pieces of herringbone flooring being removed from a home to create a stunning one-of-a-kind dining table made of kempas and merbau. The outer frame of the table was created from original house trusses that were removed. LAIN Furniture also utilizes local urban wood waste, removing the wood from the waste stream and creating furniture with a unique origin.
Bringing the Natural World Inside
Tennyson Chia, Interior Designer and Founder of SACHI, specializes in crafting designs that are storytelling journeys
Continued on page 36
SPOTLIGHT ON: MERBAU
Species: Intsia spp.
Origin: East Africa to Southeast Asia, as well as Australia.
Common Applications: Flooring, furniture, musical instruments, turned objects, and other specialty wood items.
Characteristics / Appearance: An orangish-brown color when first cut and ages to a darker reddish brown, the color is variable with some mineral deposits. It has a coarse texture, with straight to interlocked grain and a natural luster. Reported to glue and finish well, though can cause gumming and dulling of blades.
Janka Hardness Scale: 1,840 lbf
Comments: With excellent strength characteristics and stability, it is ideally suited for wood flooring and other applications where strength is important.
Frequently asked questions
What is LAIN Furniture and who founded it?+
LAIN Furniture is a Malaysian company founded by Hani Ali in 2012 that crafts bespoke furniture and homewares drawing from Malaysia's rich culture and heritage. Each limited-edition piece is handcrafted and uniquely designed.
How does LAIN Furniture incorporate reclaimed wood into its designs?+
LAIN Furniture works closely with clients to reuse materials removed from old homes during renovation, including trusses, doors, and windows. The company also utilizes local urban wood waste, diverting wood from the waste stream to create furniture with a unique origin.
What wood species were used in LAIN Furniture's herringbone dining table?+
The one-of-a-kind dining table was made from over 1,000 pieces of reclaimed herringbone flooring in kempas and merbau. Its outer frame was crafted from original house trusses removed during renovation.
What are the characteristics and appearance of Merbau wood?+
Merbau (Intsia spp.) is orangish-brown when first cut and ages to a darker reddish brown, with variable color and some mineral deposits. It has a coarse texture, straight to interlocked grain, and a natural luster, and is reported to glue and finish well though it can gum and dull blades.
What is Merbau typically used for?+
Merbau is commonly used for flooring, furniture, musical instruments, turned objects, and other specialty wood items. Its excellent strength characteristics and stability make it ideally suited for wood flooring and applications where strength is important.
Where does Merbau originate from?+
Merbau originates from East Africa to Southeast Asia, as well as Australia.