Designer Lisa Stolz uses the high tensile strength of birch plywood to create furniture that invites the user to move.

At the office, at home or in the car, people sit up to ten hours a day. The negative effects on the body of sitting all day are becoming more and more apparent, that sitting is sometimes even compared to smoking. However, if you move your body while sitting, muscle activity and blood flow are stimulated and enhanced.

Stolz’s project MOWO, which stands for Move with Wood, created furniture pieces that stimulate movement. “Movement celebrates life and it is, although not obvious at first sight, encouraged by every object of this furniture collection,” she comments. To make this happen, she uses plywood made from birch wood. The plywood, made from sustainably sourced wood, allows the pieces to be moulded, and it crossed grained structure makes the material strong, but also flexible.

The collection consists of two aspects. The first, called CC Series, consists of three sprung stools that consist of plywood pieces in a ‘C’ shape. “A family of stools, fun objects for everyday use from desk work till dining, allow tilting and twisting movements,” Stolz explains. “Their symmetric shapes and the absence of backrests encourages the sitter to explore different sitting positions.” Under the user’s movement, the plywood bends and twists, but its high tensile strength can withstand high loads.

The second part of the collection is Aera, a woven mat made of plywood. The structure consists of interwoven crosses made of bent plywood, attached with polyester cord. The mat can be used on the floor to be walked, sat or lain on. Through bending, compressing and stretching, it can also be formed, for instance to make a tunnel for kids to play with. Additionally, the mat can be attached to a steel frame to create a bench that offers space for two people. The mat is suitable for both inside and outside use, as the wood is treated with an oil/wax finish.

The furniture has been developed for mass production and will be available on Kickstarter from 9 September 2021.

Photos: Lisa Stolz