The Brooklyn-based design/build studio 4-Pli designs and manufactures furniture cut from sustainably-harvested plywood on their in-house CNC mill which are then finished with low-VOC paints and varnishes. Much of their collection has elements that repeat, slide together, or nest within each other. They’re not exactly flat-pack design, but they’re also not hand-carved one-of-a-kind pieces (luckily for us). Their work finds a wonderful balance between the two extremes, resulting in work that is simple and sophisticated.
I’ve been really intrigued with design-build studios lately, with the advance of technology, its become easy for a small design studio to cover all aspects of the design, from conception to production. This idea is what has me so jazzed about Ponoko; its such a great opportunity for indie designers who want to control all the aspects of their design, but don’t have the space or the money to house a CNC milling machine or laser cutter. 4-Pli is a great example of a small studio dedicated to producing clever, sustainable, and healthy furniture from start to finish. If you happen to be attending the ICFF in New York this weekend, you can check out their wares in person.
