This desk isn’t a typical approach to sustainable design in terms of material origin or manufacturing process. The wood could be FSC certified, the steel and leather recycled, but what I like about this desk is the human sustainability aspect. Human beings are not meant to sit in one position the way modern man does. We are not meant to have our wrists firmly pressed against the hard surface of a keyboard or table top, proof of which can be seen in a slew of work related injuries such as carpal tunnel disease.

Surface Tension writing desk. Designed by Lukas Peet.

As I sit at my desk with an aching wrist, I can only imagine the benefits the Surface Tension writing desk could offer. Lukas Peet, a recent graduate of the Design Academy Eindhoven in the Netherlands, (now living and working in Canada) is the designer of the Surface Tension writing desk. The desk takes advantage of the natural properties of leather to be a strong but forgiving work surface. The leather is stretched over the rigid maple frame which is designed with a subtle radius to further protect against contact with harsh surfaces. Only the legs of the table have sharp corners which provide an element of precision against the soft edges of the table top. Leather is an interesting choice of surface for a writing desk. Over time it will pick up scratches, indentations and oils from the writer, becoming its own record for the history of the desk.

“I was interested in how stretched Leather becomes hard with tension, and when under tension remains forgiving, creating a hard/soft surface. As well I was interested in how this tension could be contained while still communicating the load that it is under, Showing the balance achieved by the carrier and the surface.” Lukas Peet