sylva: [sil-vuh] latin the forest trees of a particular area; woodland The legs of the table are salvaged oak branches. The tree died due to a fire in Glenwood Canyon. Exposed to the elements, the branches naturally weathered until they were found and collected by a local Denver shop.
The glass top is a salvaged piece from the Denver International Airport addition. The glass was sourced from a local Lafayette reclamation company. Many of the pieces had unique notches similar to the current table top. The table top being tempered means the notches were designed into the glass itself, not created after fabrication.
To construct the table, the 11’+ branches we cut down to 3’ to allow for additional leveling cuts. The supports for the table require two parallel cuts to be made so the branch can stand on it’s own and act as a support. Due to the organic forms of the branches this was especially challenging, requiring hours of creative measuring, cutting, and sanding.
The steel plates were essential to the realization of the table. The original intent was to design a solution that would require welding and multiple fastening techniques. But, due to the nature of the class encouraging, if not requiring, thinking outside of traditional methods of fabrication, a new magnetic system was developed, allowing for customization and portability.
Each branch base was drilled out by hand to fit the neodymium magnets. Each magnet is rated at 150 pounds, making each attachment to the base a solid connection. To remove or reorganize the branches, simply tilt the branch and lift away, do not pull straight up.
The finishes on the table are minimal. The glass top is tempered, making it more resistant to scratches and breaks than traditional glass. The branches were washed by hand with murphy oil, and stained with a water-based Tall Earth eco-finish that needs no maintenance or re-staining for the life of the table.
The finish penetrates into the branch’s wood fibers, permanently changing the wood structure at a molecular level, meaning the wood is now protected against moss, mold, wet rot, dry rot and fungus. The finish is also VOC Free, and is environmentally, child, and pet friendly.
The steel plates are left raw, vinegar was applied to give a minimal amount of rust and character to the plates. The existing sharp edges were minimized with a grinder and then hand filed.
Credits, Sources, and Specs Professor: Julee Herdt, Architect Student Designer: Brittany Wheeler Gambel Oak: CS Woods - Denver Sourced from Glenwood Springs Magnets: CMS Magnets Neodymium, 150lb
Steel Plates: Small Parts A36 Hot Rolled 1/4� Glass: DIA Addition (Salvaged) Products/Finishes: +Tall Earth Eco Safe Wood Treatment (Canada) +Vinegar +Murphy Oil +Water