Opposite Upcycle Aesthetic

Joshua Beijer
Opposite Upcycle Aesthetic

The opposite of the natural wood aesthetic that I picked for my upcycling project would be industrialism. Industirialsim is characterized by straight lines, right angles, and function over form. An example of this aesthetic can be seen below. Note the straight lines and darker tones.

Industrial Aesthetic Example – Photo via digsdigs.com

Changing the aesthetic of my upcycling project to an industrial design would require the removal of all curves, flow, and live edges that the wood I am using for my hangboard possesses. I would need to cut the log into a rectangular plank and use a dark stain that covers the natural look of the grains. I would make the elliptical holds into rectangles to add more sharp angles to the design. I would also add industrial steel piping on the sides. An initial sketch of this design can be seen below.

Sketch of Industrial Hangboard

Besides the steel pipping, I have all the necessary materials and skills required to change my upcycling project’s aesthetic. I enjoyed this exercise and found it helpful in my ability to separate materials from aesthetics. I am still planning on keeping the naturalist aesthetic for the upcycling project but in the future, I may experiment with other aesthetic hangboards.

Previous Post
Post 4: Opposite Upcycle Aesthetic
Next Post
Post 4 – Opposite Of 1950’s Signage Aesthetic

3 Comments. Leave new

  • Hi Josh,
    I also chose the industrial aesthetic as my opposite! In my case, I went from rustic (a very similar aesthetic to naturalism in many ways).
    I think your ideas for an industrial wooden hangboard are awesome, and that pipe in the sketch really sells the aesthetic you are going for.
    Do you have an idea as to what kind of stain you would use to give off that industrial look? I would imagine that a grey, metal-like color would be desirable, but I’m not sure what kind of stains are out there, and how far you would be ‘allowed’ to go in terms of still uisng the same materials.

    Reply
    • Hey Michael, I think any dark polyurethane stain would accomplish this aesthetic. I wouldn’t want to make the wood look like metal because I think that would create more of a futuristic aesthetic than industrial.

      Reply
  • Josh,
    I like your thinking here, and the addition of a steel pipe would help bring out a more industrial look to your project. Also hiding the natural woodgrain was not something I would initially consider but I think you’re correct here. In the future though I think it would be helpful to create a reference to your current project so we know what changes you would be making to the original plan. Overall great interpretation of the aesthetic differences.

    Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Fill out this field
Fill out this field
Please enter a valid email address.