Jakarta Selatan, Indonesia

Minnesota-based architect David Salmela presents his new collection of furniture inspired by his Finnish heritage, but made of local, native materials by Surrounding Objects in Jakarta Selatan, Indonesia.

Lap Furniture Collection won a recent 2021 Green Good Design® Award from The European Centre for Architecture Art Design and Urban Studies and The Chicago Athenaeum.

The Lap Collection is an iterative series of wood seating that consists of (s,m,l) bench sizes and a matching chair constructed from woods native to the region of manufacture.

Lap joints (as the title suggests) inform the furniture connections and embed a sculptural, elemental nature to the pieces.

The joinery offers multiple recesses that make the bench lightweight, easy to move, versatile, and equally at home in the public and private spheres. Small spaces are a natural fit.

The minimal width (12”) of the seat allows for placement in narrow entries and corridors.

These objects are for informal daily use and reminders that even the most basic of tasks (i.e., sitting and taking off shoes upon arrival home) can be elevated by a thoughtful and comfortable design.

Following a carpenter’s logic, solid wood or plywood is used as base material minimizing cutting/ processing time.

For solid wood versions, standard board sizes of 1×4, 1×6 are used with cut lengths designed to use entire board lengths.

For plywood versions, one (1) FSC Certified sheet yields all three of the bench sizes.

The familiarity and unadorned nature of wood are highlighted. Wood is currently the most renewable material used in the furniture industry at scale due to its workability, durability, and longevity.

Certain economic woods, when used with care, can inherit added meaning and value.

The company uses local native woods that have been sourced in accordance with the sustainable development policies.

By design, the collection allows for regional production/sales. The collection is concurrently produced in limited runs by two cabinetmakers from two distant and distinct locations (West Java/ Minnesota). West Java (FSC Certified Marine Plywood) Minnesota (American Basswood) Surface treatments: Unfinished, Soap Finish (natural).

Adhesives are Ultra Low Emitting Formaldehyde (ULEF).

Project: Lap Furniture Collection
Designer: David Salmela, Salmela Architect
Manufacturer: Surrounding Objects