Extracted directly from the tree and used in its most natural state, solid wood is prized for its aesthetic qualities and the purity of its composition. Yet, it remains a challenging material to work with, due to its unpredictable nature. Unlike its composite counterparts such as particleboard, laminated timber or plywood — which are engineered with synthetic components to counteract the shortcomings of natural wood, including warping, cracking, expansion or shrinkage—, solid wood remains vulnerable, particularly to significant variations in humidity. As a result, few furniture manufacturers still dare to work with solid wood in its most unrefined form — the Belgian company Ethnicraft is one of the rare exceptions.

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Guillaume Ackel

For over 30 years, Ethnicraft has specialised in manufacturing solid wood furniture. Today, the preservation — or indeed the revitalisation — of this know-how lies in the hands of a passionate duo: designer Alain Van Havre and cabinetmaker Guy Meyvis. The former, a graduate of the Design Academy Eindhoven in the Netherlands, like to express a keen interest in the paintings of Francis Bacon — perhaps drawn to the artist’s ability to master expressive bodily distortion, the manipulation of forms and the tension of lines. The latter demonstrates what might be called manual intelligence and as a former luthier, wood in its ‘raw state’ holds no secrets for him. How does this duo work together?

It all begins with a sketch. ‘The best drawings are the ones I make when I’m driving my car – you don’t have time to fuss over anything superfluous,’ says the mischievous Alain Van Havre. Back at his desk, the designer carefully refines the lines of his sketch, convinced that an object must be beautiful from every angle – unlike traditional buffets, for example, whose backs are rarely finished. As for aesthetics, Alain Van Havre is unequivocal: ‘It mustn’t shout, and it has to last.’

Once the drawing is complete, the prototyping process begins, in collaboration with Guy Meyvis. It is at this stage that the design comes to life and confronts the reality of the material — solid wood, after all, remains a living substance. It is through the dialogue between designer and craftsman that sensitive and intricate forms emerge — such as the jay feather-shaped armrest of the Pi chair, for instance. Alain Van Havre believes that these shapes are too organic or sensual to be directly modelled in 3D; sculpting a prototype therefore becomes essential. This physical model is then fully scanned, and its digital twin serves as the basis for the manufacturing blueprint.

The final stage is mass production. Once the prototype has been validated by an initial test – involving an investment of several thousand euros and several months of work, so there is no room for error – the piece can then enter production and be replicated in Ethnicraft’s workshops. These are strategically located as close as possible to the source of the raw materials. In Serbia, for instance, Ethnicraft has been sourcing Quercus robur oak (commonly known as pedunculate oak) for over a decade — a species prized for its exceptional hardness and density — and has naturally established a production line nearby. As Alain van Havre explains, this proximity also helps to preserve the wood’s hygrometry: a tree that is grown, felled, dried, sawn, and crafted in the same location will necessarily offer better mechanical performance compared to a log that has travelled around the globe several times.

Both demanding and modest, solid wood stands out as a material of the future — counter to industrial solutions that may appear straightforward but are, in truth, harmful due to their polluting and unsustainable nature. While it calls for specialised craftsmanship, solid wood rewards with beauty, quality, and durability. Ethnicraft’s decision to fully embrace this age-old material speaks volumes about its boundless potential.