“Fundament” is a collection of ten furniture pieces by Arno Declercq, developed through a direct and materially driven approach to construction. Rather than emerging from stylistic concerns or categorical definitions, the project examines furniture through its most basic conditions: structure, material, use, and time. Each object is conceived through clarity of form and proportion, allowing its construction to remain legible rather than concealed.
The collection resists decorative intent. Instead, it focuses on how an object holds, supports, and endures through repeated use. Meaning is not imposed through narrative or symbolism but arises through the quiet persistence of the objects in everyday environments.
Material plays a central role in Declercq’s process. The pieces are constructed primarily from wood and steel, treated with a deliberately reduced methodology that emphasizes the inherent qualities of each material. Burned wood, often iroko, is a defining element of the collection. Traditionally associated with sacred or architectural contexts, the material carries both cultural and physical weight within the work.
The wood surfaces are treated through fire using a process closely related to shou sugi ban, then brushed and sealed. In this context, the technique functions not as ornament but as a structural intervention. The controlled burning stabilizes the wood while revealing the density of its grain and the subtle way the surface interacts with light and shadow.
“Structure is the first language of furniture.”
Steel is approached with the same directness. Components are cut, assembled, and finished in a way that leaves their fabrication visible, avoiding unnecessary concealment or surface treatment. Craft therefore operates not as an applied layer but as the foundation of the objects’ existence.
Across the collection, construction is reduced to primary elements. The relationships between weight, balance, and support remain deliberately exposed, allowing the structural logic of each piece to be immediately understood.
Within this framework, structure becomes the defining language of the work, positioning furniture not as decoration or statement, but as a precise negotiation between material, gravity, and human use.
ABOUT ARNO DECLERCQ
Born in 1994, Arno Declercq develops a practice at the intersection of design, interior architecture and sculptural objects. Raised in a family engaged in fashion and craftsmanship, he was exposed early to materials, silhouettes and constructed forms, informing a sustained attention to proportion and atmosphere.
He founded his studio in 2017, initially producing bespoke works before expanding into collections and spatial commissions. The practice continues as a family-led studio, maintaining a direct and hands-on approach to production and development.
His work draws from a range of references, including brutalist architecture, post-war European design and ancient defensive structures. These influences inform a language defined by reduction, weight and permanence.
Photos: Courtesy of Arno Declercq
www.arnodeclercq.com
@studio.arnodeclercq
Highlights from the Collection
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