Sam Alder

Furniture

August Studios, 1320 East Pender, Vancouver

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/salderdesign/

I am an Industrial Designer working in Vancouver BC (Unceded Coast Salish Territories). I graduated from Emily Carr University in 2020. I have been developing processes to turn non-native plants into a wood like material since before I graduated. Prior to that I studied Mechatronics at BCIT.

I am very focused on questions of Energy usage and appropriate technology. With an awareness of the looming challenges and opportunities of a post-fossil fuel economy I envision a near future where Cellulosic materials from sustainably harvested non-timber forest products can replace not only timber in the built environment, but also can serve as a replacement for aluminium and steel in certain applications.

In much the same way that Mass Timber is now being deployed in building construction I believe that furniture, vehicle frames and many home goods can be re-designed to be made of high strength engineered lignocellulosic materials.