The first thing that hit me was the smell. As I stepped off my bicycle and into the showroom, a warm, earthy and reassuring aroma filled the air. At Dinesen’s Copenhagen hub, wood was everywhere, from the company’s signature flooring to the furnishings, ceilings and wall finishes — as well as in the thought-provoking exhibition that animated the historic brand’s space during the Danish capital’s 3 Days of Design fair in early June. Yet while scent set the stage, mass and density stole the show.

At Dinesen’s Copenhagen showroom, Christian + Jade constructed spheres and conceptual furniture prototypes that highlighted the weight discrepancies between different species of wood.

A collaboration between Dinesen and local design duo Christian + Jade, “Weight of Wood” explored the life cycle of trees — from forests to timber and (eventually) furniture — with remarkable intimacy. The designers, Jade Chan and Christian Hammer Juhl, used offcuts from various tree species found in Germany’s Black Forest (where the majority of Dinesen’s wood is sourced) to study their varying densities through a series of playfully tactile prototypes. “We were fascinated by the idea that no two pieces of wood weigh the same — not even if they come from the same tree trunk,” the designers explain.

Near the entrance, a row of 11 solid wood blocks introduced the conceit. Cut from black alder, ash, beech, cherry, Douglas fir, elm, hornbeam, maple, oak, pine and walnut, the samples all weighed 250 grams but varied substantially in size. Picking up the pieces, I took in the varying textures and weights, moving from a long block of soft Douglas fir to another of luxuriously dark and somewhat knotty walnut (which, being a heavier wood, resulted in a slightly more compact form).

While the fact that different species of wood vary in weight is no revelation in itself, Christian + Jade’s studied and creative approach paid remarkable dividends. The exhibit lovingly traces the conditions that shape every piece of wood, from the anatomy of individual trees — layers of cambium, sapwood, heartwood and pith all differ in weight — to the intricacies of grain and porosity across species. Their intelligent study extended to a group of interactive furniture prototypes (including a see-saw, a reclining chair and a rocking horse) all made from a blend of light and heavy woods. The see-saw, for instance, featured one seat made of Douglas fir and another made of denser oak wood, meaning it always leaned in one direction.

The childlike simplicity of the concept was part of its delightful appeal. Yet the exhibition also compels us to re-examine our relationship with nature. While the extractive timber industry approaches wood as a mere commodity, “Weight of Wood” invited us to see it as a living thing. On my way out, I received a gift: a sphere of Douglas fir and oak. It was an echo of the same concept explored in the show’s see-saw; the volumes of wood were equal, but their weights were disparate. I still have the ball at home. And from time to time, I pick it up and study its grains of light, open fir and dark, compact oak. I raise it to my nose — thinking of its journey from acorn to tree, and then to the lumber mill and the showroom — and I feel its weight in my hand.