Slab Collection is a minimal wood seating collection designed by Vancouver-based studio Studio Block. Using Union Wood Co’s foundation for woodworking and craft, Studio Block has designed a collection that intentionally reduces design details down to the structural form of a chair. An artistic vision of minimalism was achieved without sacrificing the seats’ essential need for comfort. Union Wood Co and Studio Block have collaboratively designed a collection that celebrates the form and natural beauty of wood.

Studio Block approaches its design work with a minimalist’s eye and a desire to create serene living environments. In Lewis’ words, “I find there is a lot of visual noise that surrounds us every day, so I like to simplify things in my design work to quiet the world around us.” To apply this philosophy in practice, Lewis has coined the term ‘reductionist’ as an artful way of simplifying objects down to their fundamental form. Union Wood Co’s core value is crafting furniture that will stand the test of time in both design and construction.

Craig Pearce, owner and creative director of Union Wood Co, believes that well-made furniture plays a supportive role in spaces by providing the core location for people to gather, work, and play. The union of these complimentary design approaches created the Slab Collection. Between the two companies, there was a shared desire to design a seating collection that was simplified down to its core function, while still being furniture that is easily incorporated into people’s everyday lives. The chair’s discrete form and lines are comfortable in all styles of commercial and residential spaces.

The name of the collection comes from the raw material the seats are made from. Each slab of ash toasts the natural attraction that all people have to the beauty of solid wood. Union Wood Co hand selects each slab of wood knowing the personal connection their clients will form with their furniture through touch, sight, and emotions. Ash is ideal for the construction of furniture. It is durable and shock-resistant, without being heavy like other hardwoods. Buyers of the collection can select from three finishes: natural, whitewashed, or blackened.

Each finish gives the chairs a distinctive character, without distracting from the organic arches and lines of the natural wood grain. The chairs are coated in a matte commercial grade finish that provides them with a softened appearance, yet ensures that they are strong enough for a variety of living and working environments.

Photography by Dylan Hamm + Britney Gill Photography