Bespoke American red oak benches created with the American Hardwood Export Council (AHEC) in No. 1 Common demonstrate how underused timber grades can be transformed into durable public furniture.
When visitors enter the new V&A East Museum at East Bank in Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park from 18 Apr 2026, one of the first features they will encounter is a series of bespoke American red oak benches designed by Andu Masebo.
Positioned in the upper-ground entrance alcove and alongside the curved window overlooking the museum’s Why We Make permanent galleries, the benches are made entirely from solid American red oak, bringing warmth and natural character to the interior.
Designed by Masebo, with material and fabrication support from the American Hardwood Export Council (AHEC) and Benchmark Furniture, the seating demonstrates the potential of underused timber grades while providing visitors with places to rest and engage with the museum environment.
A new role for underused timber
Masebo’s choice of material builds on his collaboration with AHEC for the No. 1 Common exhibition at 3daysofdesign in Copenhagen in 2025.
The exhibition invited three designers to create furniture using No. 1 Common timber, an underused grade more commonly associated with cabinetry. The grade is characterised by natural variations, including contrasting colours, knots, splits and irregular grain patterns.
Masebo’s Around Table demonstrated the aesthetic appeal, durability and practical performance of the material. Encouraged by its potential to support more sustainable, affordable furniture production, he chose to use No. 1 Common red oak again for the V&A East Museum project, working once more with AHEC.
Roderick Wiles, regional director of AHEC Oceania, said: “Andu’s designs are the perfect demonstration of how underused wood grades like No. 1 Common can — and should — become beautiful and functional pieces of furniture.”
“If we are to adopt genuinely sustainable approaches to design, we need to look beyond material conventions and identify the creative opportunities that overlooked hardwood species have to offer designers and architects — which is exactly what Andu Masebo has done at V&A East Museum,” he added.
Rather than disguising the timber’s natural variations with surface patches or structural butterflies, Masebo incorporated distinctive inlaid forms that reflect the identity of East London, turning the material’s imperfections into a storytelling feature.
Inspired by East London
To develop the visual language of the benches, Masebo collaborated with cultural curator Nate Agbetu and his social practice Freeform. Together, they carried out research to ensure the designs reflected the communities surrounding V&A East Museum.
Drawing on personal experiences and guided photographic walks through East London, the team developed a collection of symbols and motifs that were later incorporated into the benches.
The research culminated in a workshop at the Dovetail neighbourhood centre with residents of the Carpenters Estate in Newham. Participants decorated Masebo’s Topside Stool with their own interpretations of life in East London, with many of the resulting images, patterns and conversations informing the final designs.
The inlays include recognisable references to East London, such as local residents, public sculptures and wildflowers, alongside more abstract forms inspired by the river, bollards, signposts, pets, handprints and even leaf stains found on the estate’s pavements. Some motifs are immediately recognisable, while others are more open to interpretation, but all are rooted in the area’s identity.
Masebo said: “A consideration for dialogue became a driving force in the design process. It’s not just about who gets to make, but whose voice is carried in the work.”
“The aim was to invite as many people as possible into the process and to design the bench out of these conversations,” he explained. “The symbols and motifs that are carried in the bench are a reflection of these personalised narratives with the aim to connect with a deeper sense of belonging.”
All images courtesy of Thom Atkinson.
