The “Hugging and pocking shelf” starts a dialogue about nature and construction. The seemingly unstable tree trunk is held up by three 3D printed branches, from which six tubes poke into the tree trunk. Apart from their outer irregular surface the branch beams look very straight and constructive. We chose to print tubes with a branch structure because we like the dialogue that it starts. The branch structure of the tubes is an homage to the natural and decorative quality of real wood but still takes the shape of a very constructive straight forward element. It asks the question can construction be decorative and can nature be constructive?
The branch that holds the shelf takes a different approach. It is wrapped around the tree by 3D scanning the tree and then digitally fitting the branch around it. It looks like the branch is hugging the natural state of the tree and does not want to interfere by screwing in or cutting parts away. The shelf that is attached to the hugging branch structure gives a slight suggestion of a function therefore this object opens up the paradigms between sculpture and utilitarian object.