Justin Bailey
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Span Bench

Span explores a design process in which material drives form. Built from a locally salvaged slab of cherry and bent steel tubing, the bench responds to the unique geometry and grain revealed by a diagonal cut through the tree, reflecting an ongoing investigation into locally sourced materials and sustainable design.

 

SPAN

Bench Seating

Span is a study in adapting form to material. The seat was milled from a single slab of locally sourced cherry salvaged by a Bloomington arborist. A diagonal cut through the trunk revealed an elongated elliptical form and distinctive grain pattern that became the starting point for the piece rather than a constraint to overcome.

The rolled steel tube legs were developed in response, using a series of continuous curves to support the slab while emphasizing its length and visual lightness.

Span is part of an ongoing investigation into working with locally sourced materials and allowing their unique characteristics to shape the design process. Rather than beginning with a predetermined form, the material itself becomes the starting point.

Year 2026
Dimensions 76” x 10” x 16” / 193cm x 25cm x 41cm
Materials CNC Milled Cherry, Powder Coated Steel Tube