Karim: “During our studies, Markus and I found that we worked well together. We had collaborated on a few projects before, but it was during the Interdisciplinary Project in our third year – bringing together students from Interior Architecture, Graphic Design, and Architecture – that we realized our shared interest in woodworking. We created a large wooden structure that served as the entrance to the exhibition space. Designing and building it was a straightforward process for us, and it highlighted how naturally our collaboration developed.”
Markus: “That project in particular made us realize how much we enjoyed working with wood. It was the first time we built something at a 1:1 scale, even though we had very limited tools – just a jigsaw, a hand saw, and a screwdriver – and were working in a fairly confined space. Shortly after the project, Karim suggested the idea of starting a furniture company.”
Karim: “It began as a passing idea – something we thought we might explore in the coming years – but we became enthusiastic about it quite quickly and started right away.”
Markus: “Our first step was to develop an identity: the brand, the logo, and the concept behind the name. We chose Cedrus Merbau based on the national trees of our countries – cedrus for Lebanon and merbau for Malaysia. From there, we outlined the initial values we wanted the brand to represent. Karim and I work in different ways: he is more structured and decisive, while my process tends to be more flexible and reflective. Those differences balance each other, and we wanted that to be visible in our logo and in how we present ourselves as a company.”
Karim: “When it came to finding clients, we initially turned to people and companies already within our network – contacts from BI and former workplaces. We tried to understand what they needed and how we could offer something useful. For our first project, a set of stools and a table for a café I had previously worked at, we focused mainly on gaining experience and visibility. We didn’t give much thought to the financial side at that stage.”
Markus: “We learned an important lesson from our first few projects. When it comes to presenting a design – drawings, renderings, 3D sketches – there needs to be a balance. In some cases, we didn’t show enough, which meant the client wasn’t fully aware of what they were asking for, and we didn’t guide them as well as we could have. But the opposite can also be true: presenting too much information at once can overwhelm a client.”
Markus: “To me, the process resembles that of any architecture project. We meet the client first, figure out what they need, analyze the site; or in this case, the room it will be in, and develop a concept and materiality. There is also a balance we need to implement: between what we find to be of “our taste” and what the client needs or wants.”
Karim: “We try to ensure that each piece has a story behind it, rather than being just a product – a story the client would be proud to share with friends and family. After the initial discussions, concept development, and design planning, we create all the necessary technical drawings and plans and move directly into making the pieces. We are also always present during installation to make sure everything goes according to plan.”
Markus: “It’s fascinating to be involved in every step of the process, and it’s important to us that the client also enjoys the process of the design: that the journey from the idea to the final product is something they can remember fondly.”
Karim: “In the short term, our focus is on building up our portfolio and continuing to develop our skills. I always say that the faster projects come, the faster we grow, so we try to take on a variety of opportunities. Each project, no matter the size, helps us refine our approach and learn something new. Our goal is to deliver every project to the best of our ability while exploring new techniques and ideas along the way.”
Markus: “For the long term, we want to start designing pieces that are entirely our own – furniture collections and objects that can be produced in multiple copies. Right now, custom-fitted projects are a lot of fun and give us a chance to improve our skills, but our ultimate goal is to explore the more artistic side of woodworking. We want to experiment with different techniques, create unique objects, and eventually establish a company that produces furniture that is both functional and expressive.”
