an architect's drafting table / executive desk

I took my time making a decision on how I could best "celebrate" all the attributes of this 2" thick slab of kumbuk wood I got from Sri Lanka some months ago. The wood itself is responsibly harvested by a friend of mine who shuttles between Asia and the States as a wood dealer to craftsmen such as myself. The wood that I am using, he explains, is from trees that on average were 200-300 years old. They are naturally felled during tsunami and the wood is harvested using elephants and manpower in the remote regions of Sri Lanka. The piece I used for this desk is about 75" long and 29"w. x 2" thick. It weighs (w/o legs) about 100 lbs., much more dense than any American hardwood.

I was inspired by a desk design that I saw on one I sold years ago. It was a 19th century Chinese piece with seperate legs that were in a rectangular form, but they were solid and had drawers. I adapted my design to be open so that the slab would appear light, and despite its density and the complex figure of the grain it would not seem busy. I chose solid maple which would provide strength in the joints and would be a good contrast in its light color.

The height of the desk is a little higher than most, this is the accomodate an adjustable modern drafting chair such as a the Aeron. It also looks impressive at this height.