Created with Mitre & Mondays with Benchmark, the exhibition examines the environmental journey of hardwood from forest to finished product.
The American Hardwood Export Council (AHEC) is returning to 3daysofdesign in Copenhagen with an immersive exhibition that traces the journey of hardwood timber from forest to finished product.
Presented at Material Matters from 10–12 Jun 2026, Wood for the Trees has been created in collaboration with London-based design studio Mitre & Mondays and British furniture maker Benchmark.
Drawing inspiration from AHEC’s feature documentary Forested Future, the exhibition explores the relationship between forests, forestry and material use, while highlighting the role timber can play in a more sustainable future.
Located in the historic Gammel Dok building in Copenhagen’s Christianshavn district, the exhibition invites visitors to step into a forest-inspired environment designed to reveal the environmental, structural and aesthetic qualities of American hardwoods.
AHEC’s previous exhibitions at 3daysofdesign focused largely on collaborations with designers and the creative potential of underutilised hardwood species. This year, the emphasis shifts to the wider environmental system surrounding timber, including responsible forest management, carbon storage and long-term sustainability.
According to AHEC, maintaining demand for a diverse range of hardwood species helps encourage landowners to preserve and manage forests for future generations rather than converting land to other uses.
A walk through the woods
The exhibition takes inspiration from the recovery of hardwood forests in the eastern US. A century ago, many of these forests had been heavily depleted, but today they cover more than 40 million acres and are growing at approximately twice the rate at which they are harvested.
Visitors enter an abstract woodland setting where timber donated by family-owned sawmills forms the basis of the exhibition design. Rotating tree trunks display materials and information, while seating and furniture evoke fallen logs. Suspended graphics create the impression of a forest canopy overhead.
Alongside timber products and material applications, the exhibition incorporates environmental data, audiovisual elements and educational storytelling intended to explain the systems that support healthy forest ecosystems.
AHEC says the exhibition seeks to examine how planning, growth and resilience contribute to the long-term health of hardwood forests, and how the choices made by designers, manufacturers and consumers can influence that future.
The exhibition unfolds through five stages that mirror the lifecycle of timber.
The first stage, Growth, explores how trees reproduce, regenerate and adapt over time, allowing forests to evolve across generations.
Planning focuses on the long-term management of forests, examining both daily forestry practices and strategies that may span decades or even centuries.
Selection looks at how foresters determine which trees should be harvested and which should remain, considering factors such as age, health, longevity and ecological value.
Resilience examines how forests respond to changing environmental conditions, including climate pressures, pests and disease, and considers the role of forestry management in strengthening ecosystems.
The final stage, Timber, explores the point at which the forest enters the human world, revealing how every piece of wood carries a record of its history within its grain.
Wood for the Trees is free to visit. The programme will also include a hands-on workshop allowing visitors to engage directly with hardwood materials, with details to be announced.
