Project/Product In/tension
Designer dHKarchitects
Designers Paul Koopman; Jessica Yarish
Collaborators AD Projects; Brent Comber; Flower House Studios; Kerrisdale Lumber; Poliform; RJ Cross Architectural Lighting
Location Vancouver
Category Room
Photography Britney Gill

If you attended IDS Vancouver this past fall, you likely found yourself drawn to the impressive structure that made up the central bar (whether to admire the architecture or just to delight in a show that involves socializing with a glass of wine). Built entirely without fasteners or waste, In/tension was a temporary bar and bench installation using stacked lumber entirely held together with ratchet straps and relying on the inherent friction of the wood surface to create structural stability. Designed by architects Paul Koopman and Jessica Yarish, it was both a structural marvel and a space for moments of delight: Bjorn, a sculptural creature by artist Brent Comber that was born from a felled tree, stood among the timbers to keep guests company as they relaxed on the benches within the structure, and, speaking of delightful, every piece of lumber was reused once deconstructed at the end of the show.

READ MORE: IDS West: Our Picks for the Best of IDS Vancouver 2025

See the photos

In/tension fastener-free bar and bench installation by dHKarchitects at IDS Vancouver
Photo by Britney Gill
Stacked lumber held by ratchet straps in the In/tension installation by dHKarchitects
Photo by Britney Gill
Temporary IDS bar structure built without fasteners, In/tension by dHKarchitects
Photo by Britney Gill
Bench seating within the In/tension lumber installation at IDS Vancouver
Photo by Britney Gill
Fastener-free wood-on-wood friction structure of In/tension by dHKarchitects, IDS Vancouver
Photo by Britney Gill

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Anicka Quin

Anicka Quin

Anicka Quin is the editor-in-chief of Western Living magazine and the VP of Content for Canada Wide Media. If you've got a home design you'd like to share with Western Living, drop her a line at [email protected]