It’s a multi-functional and exquisite piece of furniture that, depending on your point of view, could be a settle, storage bench or monk’s bench.
It’s been made by Charlie Camp, from Wellington in New Zealand, and is a beautiful creation in oak and ash.
Charlie, who was born in the north-east of England and moved to New Zealand when she was six-months-old, is hoping to sell the piece at one of the school’s graduation exhibitions.
She likes the idea of furniture that can perform more than one function, and her bench also doubles up as a blanket box – sometimes also known as a monk’s bench.
Charlie came to the school having completed a four-year building apprenticeship with her father’s NZ building company, learning everything to do with site carpentry – from timber framing and roofing to house restoration.
While she does therefore have a good grounding in woodwork, constructing the bench also required her to learn other skills – most notably steam bending for the arms and legs.
Her plan is to remain in Scotland after graduation and, initially, to find employment in a woodworking business.
The picture above was Charlie’s first drawing of her proposed bench.
