DANISH DESIGN FROM RESIDUAL WOOD
Reusing and upcycling materials are steps towards a more sustainable future. Danish company Norto creates unique interior decorations from leftover timber scraps.
CATARINA STEWEN, photos NORTO & KARINA BIRCH
When Jacob Wernberg joined Vinderup Træindustri (VTI) four years ago, he began to investigate if the wood left over from the production of glulam could be used for something valuable. After months of generating ideas both internally as well as with colour decorators, future scientists, trendologists and architects, four prototype products were selected, and the design company Norto established. Today, Norto offers wooden ceilings, internal wall dec- orations, floors and kitchens to private consumers, archi- tects, home stylists, interior designers, project vendors and construction consultants. All products are made of residual high-quality timber from Nordic forests, which would otherwise be scrapped or burned. “The use of solid wood in interior design is growing,” says Wernberg, CEO of Norto and VTI. “Part of it is because of nature trends, but also because of the positive effects of wood. From a sustainability per- spective, reusing or upcycling waste materials are key to reducing the carbon footprint.” UNIQUE DESIGNS ATTRACT ATTENTION Most of Norto’s customers are companies, architects, and the public sector, which are at the forefront of considering sustainability combined with design. “For the private sector, we are a little ahead of time, although we see an increasing interest in our products,” Wernberg says.
One of the initial products, which has become popular, is wooden ceilings with fire certification. Wooden floors made from small bricks have also turned out to be a suc- cess. The new Aarhus School of Architecture has, for in- stance, used Norto floors in the entire building. “330,000 floor bricks were upcycled from outdated fin- ger-jointed window scantlings. The school wanted a waste product, which at the same time looks good.” Wood has excellent acoustic effects and sound damp- ing qualities. The Faerch Foundation, which supports new start-ups, businesses, culture and education locally, creat- ed a sound hub in the iconic Bang & Olufsen production buildings in Struer, Mid Jutland using Norto’s products for wall decorations and acoustics. “The acoustic wall is constructed of small wooden squares glued, with tiny gaps in between, to a textile back- ground manufactured from plastic bottles retrieved from the sea. The combination creates excellent sound damping, is aesthetic and sustainable,” Wernberg says. SLEEK LINES COMBINED WITH NORDIC COLOURS The unique designs are mostly created in-house but often inspired by others. Focus is on Nordic traditions with nat- ural materials, simple aesthetics, and light colours, from which also the name Norto originates. Norto collaborates closely with its customers, frequently resulting in new adaptations of the products or entirely new designs. A fruitful co-operation partner has been
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