Grain-infused cityscapes: Reimagining urban trees for a new lease on life
In the heart of London, a unique furniture company named Fallen & Felled (FAF) is making waves by transforming fallen urban trees into beautiful pieces of furniture. Co-founded by furniture maker Bruce Saunders and his architect wife Antje, the company has been on a mission to rescue and repurpose these trees since its inception.
In 2020, the team expanded with the addition of lifelong pal Patrick Welsh, who joined as the marketing guru. Together, they work tirelessly to save trees that would otherwise be turned into firewood or biomass.
Fallen & Felled's efforts have resulted in less than one-third of CO2 emissions being used by the company, compared to the carbon savings they achieve. Urban timber, as described by Bruce Saunders, grows faster and has more vibrant colours due to a phenomenon called "flaming."
Each year, approximately 1000 suitable trees are felled in and around London. FAF has successfully rescued tonnes of black walnut from a golf course near Croydon, and the black poplar salvaged from London's Old Kent Road can be found in a Soho jeans store, a local bakery, and a consulting firm.
One of the most interesting stories comes from a slab of wood destined to be a kitchen counter, which was stained grey by wartime bomb shrapnel. Another intriguing piece is the British-grown tulip poplar wood from Chartwell Farm in Kent, possibly planted on Winston Churchill's instruction.
FAF prides itself on selling wood with a story, including timber that has witnessed history. Saunders' first act of arboreal salvage was a London plane tree near his home in Camden. The company specializes in timber sourced in and around London, and they prefer to turn downed trees into something new instead of allowing them to be turned into firewood or biomass. They would never advocate felling healthy trees for the sake of it.
In 2023, FAF rescued 120 felled city trees, preventing around 122 tonnes of carbon from entering the atmosphere. As the company continues to grow, they plan to move from their current base in Walthamstow to a railway arch in Camden, seen as a symbolic homecoming.
Notable collaborations include award-winning fine furniture maker Sebastian Cox, who has crafted some of the rescued black walnut into cabinets. The company, originally founded in Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany, now has its headquarters in Ludwigshafen.
As Fallen & Felled continues to make a difference in London, they are not only creating stunning furniture but also preserving a piece of the city's history with each piece they craft.
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