Fabrication secrets, Soleil, a high-precision collection
In 2022, Tectona launched the Soleil collection by Martin Szekely, a world-renowned designer whose work has been inextricably linked to the history of French design for several decades. T magazine went to Vosges to follow the fabrication of the collection step by step.
Larch, naturally durable
A conifer native to temperate regions of the Northern hemisphere, larch is traditionally used in wooden frameworks and cladding where it can withstand the rigours of exposure to air: sunshine, rain, ice, temperature variations and mould have no effect. The artisans of wood, woodworkers and cabinetmakers, prize larch for its luminosity and the beauty of its grain but also its density and hardness, characteristics attributable to the very slow growth rate. It is a class 4 wood and does not require chemical treatment.
Over time, it develops an attractive silver patina. In view of these qualities, comparable to those of teak, Tectona selected larch for this first collection by Martin Szekely. The choice is also in line with our desire to use shorter chains between forest resources and the site of wood processing.
Digital tools and artisan know-how
The design of the Soleil collection relies on the constituent parts being assembled with absolute precision. Here traditional work by woodworkers and cabinetmakers is aided by digital tools which allow for highly precise machining so that all parts fit together perfectly.
The Soleil collection requires six assembly stages rather than the usual two or three. The low armchair consists of 56 wooden constituent parts and 74 joints, either mortise-and-tenon or fluted dowel, while the coffee table has 48 parts; three to four times more parts as used in standard armchairs and coffee tables.
At the heart of fabrication
Computer-assisted planing is used to ensure perfect alignment of the slats in the coffee table, the footrest and the seat and backrest of the armchair. However they are still assembled manually, using mortise-and-tenon joints or fluted dowels. The wood artisans also carry out the sanding procedures to eliminate all splinters and sharp projecting edges and perform final adjustments.
