During the 3daysofdesign festival in Copenhagen, as part of the Material Matters event, the American Hardwood Export Council (AHEC) presented No. 1 Common, an exhibition project that challenges conventions in the design world and promotes a new aesthetic based on sustainability and the full utilization of natural resources.
The title refers to the No.1 Common grade, which ranks fourth in the NHLA (National Hardwood Lumber Association) quality scale, following FAS, F1F, and Selects. This “cabinet grade” lumber, while more variable in appearance and featuring more knots than higher grades, is traditionally intended for furniture manufacturing. However, it is often overlooked in Europe in favor of more uniform materials. Today, American hardwood forests contain more than twice the volume of timber they held 50 years ago. To fully leverage this renewable resource, the industry must move beyond using only the highest-grade cuts —representing just 10–15% of each tree — and instead embrace a broader, more inclusive approach to material selection.
Copenhagen was a deliberate choice for the exhibition. Denmark and the wider Nordic region have a longstanding tradition of woodworking, with wood playing a central role in both furniture and architectural design. Presenting No.1 Common in this context means engaging with a culture attuned to natural materials, while also encouraging a reassessment of what constitutes quality in wood – redefining perceived defects as design opportunities.
AHEC partnered with UK furniture maker Benchmark and three European designers – Andu Masebo, Daniel Schofield, and Anna Maria Øfstedal Eng – to bring this concept to life through original works made from various species, all selected in the No.1 Common grade.
Andu Masebo explored the social role of the dining table, creating a modular piece in red oak that evolves over time and bears visible traces of human interaction. Daniel Schofield developed Common Room, a series of cherry wood furniture – tables, stools, and screens – designed for shared workspaces. The collection features softened butterfly joints that serve both a structural and expressive function, combining practicality with aesthetic intent. Lastly, Anna Maria Øfstedal Eng delved into the sculptural qualities of yellow birch, highlighting its natural variations through a laminating technique that produces both bold and subtle textures.
«The project started taking shape in December, and it was too late to be ready for Milan in April. 3daysofdesign has become an important platform in the design world. We did a small project there two years ago, and it felt like the right occasion to present the outcomes of this creative research – especially to a business-oriented audience», explains David Venables, AHEC’s European Director.
The exhibition design, created by Kia Utzon-Frank/KUF Studios, was built entirely from production offcuts of the featured pieces—a tangible expression of the project’s core message: use what nature provides, without waste. This philosophy urges designers, manufacturers, and consumers to rethink how quality is defined, fostering a more thoughtful and resource-respectful future. With No.1 Common, AHEC advocates for a cultural shift: moving away from uniformity and embracing imperfection as a mark of authenticity and sustainability.
