POLKU

Polku on ehdotukseni puupinta 2020 - kilpailuun. Ehdotus sai kilpailussa kunniamaininnan.

Työ on uudenlainen lattiamateriaali, joka imitoi maaston epätasaista pintaa.

Lopputulos on terapeuttinen pinta, joka saa rentoutumaan kiireen keskellä.

Polku is a proposal for “Wooden Surface 2020 Competition”. Work was awarded an honorable mention.

Project is a new kind of floor material that imitates the uneven surface of a forest ground.

The result is a therapeutic surface, which make one relaxed during busy life

Polku - Path - is a new kind of a flooring material imitating the uneven ground in nature. The sole of a bare foot reacts to the surface the same way as when walking in the woods. The warm wooden surface invites to stop for a while to examine the environment and your own feelings.

The Path is made of cross-laminted lamellas similar to a CLT board. Thus, the dimensions of the floor remain the same irrespective of the ambient moisture. The material is high-quality knotless pine which is easy to work. The top layer is shaped with a CNC machine. Using a 3-axis machine helps to cut costs. The cut surface is smoothed and treated with wax oil to give a wood-like feel.

The floor surface draws inspiration from nature and the therapeutic benefits of walking in nature. It imitates the smooth rock surfaces on shores as well as boulder fields and undulating tree roots in forest paths. The final product is an abstracted version of its natural models and brings a touch of nature to the home, school or place of work.

Thanks to the algorithmic desing of the product the surface pattern can be worked to a desidered size and shape. The size of the board can also be changed without causing major problems in the production. The algorithmic design in general means flexibility and ease of further development. For instance, the board can easily be modified to be used as an acoustic panel on a wall or ceiling.

Manufactured as floor boards of 600x600 mm in size and 15 mm in thickness (25 mm at the highest point) the Path boards can be used together with other flooring materials. Although it's possible to cover the whole floor with these boards, it is often wise to make only a 600 or 1200 mm wide strip of Path boards in order to facilitate the use of furniture.

The Path is intended for areas where shoes are not worn which makes it suitable for not only homes but also modern schools and offices. It brings playfulness and therapeutic experience to the long hours spent indoors.

Like a bed of nails the Path provides therapeutic treatment and stimulates the nervous system for the betterment of the body and mind.

Thanks to the parametric nature of the design the size and shape of the surface pattern are easy to vary. The shape of the floor can thus be defined to match each specific need.

The Path functions not only as a floor material but also as a platform when for instance working standing.

As a floor board the Path has good acoustic properties, and on a wall or ceiling also makes interesting play with light and shadow.