NY design week: knit fort at noho design district.
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Who says you’re too old for a fort? Made from rich hardwood, Matt Gagnon‘s Knit Fort is decidedly grown up. The wooden pieces are stacked like Linkin’ Logs and stitched together with a rubberized cord, creating a flexible structure that can be tailor made to suit your space. Gagnon assembled this particular structure on the outdoor patio of the Standard Hotel as part of the “Hotel California” show for Noho Design District. He also suggested it could be used for a terrace sunshade, conference room dome, outdoor shower or living room cabana, whatever that is.
When I came across it, two grown men were sitting inside on floor pillows engaged in what seemed like a very serious conversation, oblivious to that fact that people nearby could hear them. When they left I ducked inside to give it a try. Sitting in the cozy little space with sunlight warming the wooden slats, you feel safe and distant from the world just outside and could very easily lose yourself in intimate conversation with a friend.
This may be Gagnon’s first fort, but it’s similar to his other work in that it shows what he describes as “an obsession with material and process, old craft and new technology.” He’s worked with woven wood before, too, in his Squeeze Lamp and Scissor Doors. See the rest of his work on his website.
