Modern commercial buildings stand as examples of architecture, energy consumption and interior design. They also have a significant environmental impact. From a sustainability standpoint, industry professionals estimate existing buildings and their contents constitute up to 40% of the human carbon footprint. Heirloom Design has set out to reverse that trend with a focus on quality, long-lasting furniture with a story to tell.
Heirloom Design launched on Earth Day 2021 and is a joint venture between One Workplace, an interior solutions provider, and Uhuru Design, a company that specializes in bespoke residential and high-end commercial furniture. The Heirloom Design idea was born one night during a conversation about a crib that had been handed down through generations. With that concept in mind, the team launched a platform with a foundation in quality furniture and a focus on green design. As Dave Bryant, a founding partner of Heirloom Design and vice president at One Workplace put it, “We understand that the most sustainable materials of all are those that have the longest useful life — telling meaningful stories of its journey, much like a family keepsake. That’s both the intention and the appeal of Heirloom.”
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Each unique furniture piece is designed with a dedication to the use of natural materials. Uhuru Design also upcycles reclaimed materials in the process. With the launch of Heirloom Design, each piece is now stamped with a scannable QR code that documents the furniture’s journey for the rest of its days. This tracking system means anyone who owns the piece in the future will have a complete record of its story. Heirloom will use this idea of documented provenance to bring together makers, manufacturers and workplace creators to slow the carbon-intensive cycle of furniture. The goal is to eliminate furniture waste — a stark reversal of the decades-old pattern of consumption and disposal.
Uhuru Founder Jason Horvath says, “Heirloom is the most Uhuru thing we could imagine — starting with a beautiful design that only becomes more special as you understand the story of where it’s been. It is antithetical to what the contract industry does today – designing it to go away. To us, it’s a belief system that has the power to shape and change the world.”
Images via Heirloom Design
