Pebble Jumble

Project Info

Blending expert craftsmanship, complex engineering and material experimentation, this dramatic timber sculpture, built for a hotel in New York, pushes at the boundaries of timber design.

Standing at 3.8 metres tall and featuring an integrated welcome desk, Pebble Jumble serves as the centrepiece of the Hotel Park Ave lobby in Manhattan.

The design draws inspiration from natural erosion and organic stacking formations, reimagined as a precisely engineered timber installation. Crafted from UK-grown Douglas fir and ash, with reclaimed CLT and solid oak panels providing structural integrity, the project celebrates the versatility of timber.  

The sculpture comprises a series of oversized, smoothed pebble forms, each constructed from segmented rings or cross-laminated boards to showcase a diversity of grain. Each pebble was initially rough-shaped through hand-turning or CNC machining in sections, then assembled and meticulously hand-finished and scribed to interlock with the next. This ball-in-cup assembly method demanded precision joinery and a deep understanding of timber behaviour under load. Adding to the complexity of the fabrication, a concealed metal frame runs through the base and into each pebble, discreetly anchoring the sculpture to the floor from within.

Additional credits

Structural Engineering Advice: Structure Workshop

Metal Fabrication: Jamps Studio Ltd