In Conversation with
Fallen & Felled
For Elder Yard, a project developed by British Land with design by Universal Design Studio, Dodds & Shute worked with Fallen & Felled to source and procure three bespoke tables made from London plane hardwood.
Fallen & Felled rescue timber from trees felled across the capital, milling and drying it before bringing it back into use as furniture. We spoke to Patrick Doody from Fallen and Felled about the material, the process, and what makes this kind of sourcing worth pursuing.
For Elder Yard, a project developed by British Land with design by Universal Design Studio, Dodds & Shute worked with Fallen & Felled to source and procure three bespoke tables made from London plane hardwood.
Fallen & Felled rescue timber from trees felled across the capital, milling and drying it before bringing it back into use as furniture. We spoke to Patrick Doody from Fallen and Felled about the material, the process, and what makes this kind of sourcing worth pursuing.
Where did the tree that became this table come from, and what species is it?
We made three bespoke tables, all from London plane hardwood. The largest is a boardroom table measuring over three metres long. The timber came from a tree felled on Avenue Road – one of London’s most expensive streets - in St John’s Wood, London. It had reached the end of its life, and like most trees felled in the city, it would typically have been chipped or burned.
Instead, we milled and dried it, then brought it back into use as furniture.
London plane is one of the defining trees of the capital. Its distinctive mottled bark sheds pollution and allows it to thrive in tough urban conditions, which is why it’s planted so widely across London streets. It isn’t grown commercially as a timber crop, so nearly all usable plane wood comes from trees that have already lived full lives in the city.
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What does this table tell us about the timber that imported hardwood wouldn't?
Most furniture sold in the UK is made from imported timber – over 90% of hardwood used here comes from overseas. This table is made from a tree that grew just over five miles away. Like most urban trees, it would otherwise have been destroyed. By using it, we’re not only avoiding that waste, but also storing carbon that would have been released through burning.
The timber also carries a clear sense of place. The grain, colour and irregularities reflect the conditions the tree grew in – compacted soil, pollution, repeated pruning over decades. Imported timber is often farmed for consistency and uniformity. This is the opposite. It’s specific to where it grew, and you can see that in the finished piece.
What is the process, and how long does it take, for a tree that falls on a London street to become a piece of furniture?
It’s a slow process. Once a tree is felled by professional tree surgeons, we transport the main stems to our timber yard in Essex. There, we mill them into boards and air dry them to make them suitable for furniture making – often for a year or more, depending on thickness.
After that, the timber is brought into the workshop in Camden for machining and making. From street to finished piece, it typically takes between one and three years.
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How did the collaboration with Dodds & Shute begin, and what made this project a good fit?
The project was a collaboration between Dodds & Shute, Universal Design Studio, and the client, British Land. It came together through a shared interest in using materials more thoughtfully. Dodds & Shute were already focused on sourcing and narrative, and our timber offered a way to embed that directly into the fabric of the project.
It worked well because there was a common understanding that the material isn’t just a surface – it carries meaning, and that should be visible in the finished piece.
What was the thinking behind the design?
The design allows the timber to lead. Rather than over-processing or forcing uniformity, the aim was to retain as much of its natural character as possible – the grain, the edges, and the subtle variation.
It’s a restrained approach. The table is carefully made, but it still feels connected to its origin – not overly refined, not anonymous.
Daisy Thomas
6 May 2026