“When people ask what I do, I say, ‘I make chairs’, but what I really do is draw pictures of furniture then find the best way to manufacture them into a functional piece,” says Ben Glass, owner of Ben Glass Furniture.

Glass believes that creating items from wood is an organic process; wood is unique and has a quality that cannot be imitated by man-made material, he says. Since starting, Glass has been commissioned to design seating for the popular Ponsonby restaurant Saan. His designs are sleek, functional and modern, using a variety of timber and mixing it with materials.

As well as creating his own designs, Glass is also enthusiastic about collaborating with customers to create something new to suit a purpose or satisfy an aesthetic they want.