NOT TOO LATE
"Not Too Late" is a sculptural bench designed by TEMPRA for Riva1920, crafted from solid salvaged cedar wood. Milled from a single block and hand-finished, the piece represents a polar bear emerging from water, a powerful metaphor for climate change and sustainable furniture design.
Client: Riva1920
Year: 2025
Material: Solid Cedar Wood
Category: Furniture Design
Award: Riva1920 9th Design Award
DESIGN CONCEPT
Carved as a continuous volume, the bench blends art and function. The upper silhouette suggests the head and back of a walking polar bear, while the lower portion disappears beneath soft, flowing lines that evoke water. The legs are intentionally hidden, as if the animal were partially submerged, symbolizing the rising waters caused by melting ice and glaciers. The warm tone and natural scent of cedar deepen the sensory connection to nature.
CRAFT & MATERIALS
Material: Solid salvaged cedar wood, carved from a single block.
Process: 5–6 axis CNC milling; mechanical sanding; hand finishing.
Color / Finish options: Natural; Contract finish; Vulcano (carbonized dark).
DIMENSIONS
L. 240 x D. 44 x H. 40/50 cm
CONTEXT & USE
Designed for public spaces, gardens, and cultural venues, Not Too Late functions as both furniture and statement, bringing a message of shared responsibility into everyday places.
IMPACT
The bench celebrates the possibility of a better future: a reminder that time is short, and yet not too late to act.
AWARD & RECOGNITION
Not Too Late was selected as one of the winning projects of the 9th Riva1920 Design Award, with the award ceremony held on April 11th, 2025, at the ADI Design Museum in Milan, during Salone del Mobile.
The competition celebrates works that successfully combine form, meaning, craftsmanship, and responsible innovation. The jury recognized the bench for its sculptural purity, narrative strength, and its ability to translate an urgent environmental message into a refined, tangible design piece.
Official Competition Page:
Silvio Consentino with Maurizio Riva at the Riva1920 Design Awards ceremony, ADI Design Museum, Milan - April 11th, 2025.
ABOUT RIVA1920
Riva1920 is an iconic Italian furniture company known for transforming solid wood into sculptural, timeless pieces through a blend of tradition, advanced technology, and artisanal craftsmanship. Many of their works are carved from single blocks of wood, becoming true artistic objects developed with internationally renowned designers.
Sustainability is central to their philosophy. For cedar products, Riva1920 recovers trees that have fallen naturally or been cut for safety reasons, giving new life to valuable material. The trunks are milled and then hand finished by expert artisans to enhance the natural grain and scent of the wood.
Their finishes rely exclusively on natural oils and vegetable based waxes, without artificial treatments or chemical coatings. This preserves the material’s authenticity, reduces environmental impact, and maintains cedar’s distinctive fragrance and tactile warmth. The result reflects more than a century of dedication to craftsmanship, sustainability, and design excellence.