– 100% natural material – only wood

– no tools required, no screws, no welds, no glue, no pins

– easy to set up and take down and transport

– Architect patented joinery system 

The DADO Shelf interrogates conventional joinery. Inspired by the traditional dado technique, it subverts expectations with 45-degree angles, revealing a patented method that foregoes external fasteners. This patented technique eliminates the need for external fasteners, exposing the inherent strength of wood. The DADO Shelf is a celebration of pure woodcraft.

Designed by Justin Allen for ALLEN KAUFMANN OBJECTS, DADO inverts the typical hierarchy of furniture design. Its underside is the focal point (as opposed to concealed)—welds, brackets and fasteners are replaced by exposed wood joinery. Horizontal and vertical members interlock with angled cuts, forming structure, function and aesthetics. The joint is the detail, the essence of the object.

Flat-packed for efficient transport, DADO is assembled by hand, a testament to simplicity. It is an object of pure, elemental material – nothing added, nothing concealed.

Design: Justin Allen

Invention and Patent: Justin Allen

Photography: Justin Allen, Ann Warter and Yuzhu Zheng

Dado Assembly Diagrams: Javier NUPE Seoane