At a time when Indian design is increasingly drawn to experimentation with materials such as metal, acrylic, and stone, Ahmedabad-based studio Tectona Grandis Furniture is looking back in time. With a calling towards rootedness and material depth, TGF approaches design with a material that has always been used in Indian furniture.
Reclaimed teak wood—sourced from old demolishing houses in Gujarat—lies at the heart of the brand and forms the foundation of their furniture. Wooden shafts once used to make pillars, beams, and windows of old buildings are selected, processed, and given a new life by transformation into armchairs, beds, and consoles. The aged wood, in turn, lends the pieces a richer colour and texture.
Founder Dhruvkant Amin says, “Being from Gujarat, I have grown up seeing teak wood in my own home. Being intrigued by the material, I had built a deep understanding of wood—what forms come out the best with wood, how climate affects it, how grains appear when carved.”
Each piece at TGF is built with a focus on the natural properties of teak. Amin reflects, “With the wood as the foundation, the design depends on what suits the material best, and hence remains simple yet significant with detailing.” The natural material lends the space the kind of warmth no other material can. Amin believes that this is why it will always feel relatable to homeowners and be relevant in the design world.