Garvan DE BRUIR
Merit Award 2009

work shown : Sculptural Swings
Laminated timber beams
(click on picture to see larger image)

Project

My background is in fine furniture design, hand shaped in solid hardwoods to create elegant sculptural yet always functional forms. My interest in timber regularly outgrows its furniture origins into larger scale work as seen in my workshop buildings.

I would like to continue some developments that I have begun in curving timber sculptures and structures. I use experimental techniques for bending/laminating timber into curving members which will then be used to create public seating and structures. My project is for relatively large-scale work in which the funding would be used towards raw materials for the various mould making experiments, constructing the beams and carrying out finished structures.

Artistic Vision

My primary interest is in promoting timber in design, architecture and sculpture. Timber is a renewable resource, it is locally available and easy to machine and handcraft. At an engineering level timber is structurally very strong, it can carry out long spans and its flexibility allows it to bend into curving shapes. It provides an ability for any range of innovative shapes to be carried out, and I hope to progress into more and more complex forms. I am influenced by current hi-tech architecture where increasingly curving designs are being implemented.

My over-riding artistic vision is to bring a design functionality to sculpture. So you can sit on, lie on, swing on, slide on or be sheltered by a sculptural form. I believe in bringing usable design combined with sculptural forms to public spaces and doing so in timber.

Website : http://www.deBruir.com