5/6 Lecture: Jonathan Montalbano 16 ID
Join the Nature Lab and Nature, Culture, and Sustainability Studies for a talk, "From Liability to Legacy: The Industrial Ecology of Urban Timber" by Jonathan Montalbano 16 ID, industrial designer and Head of the Providence Urban Wood Depot. Presented as part of the Nature, Culture, and Sustainability Studies Core Seminar series, this program is open to all members of the RISD community.
Interested? RSVP here! Note that registrations are encouraged but not required to attend. This event is open to members of the RISD community (students, faculty, staff) only at this time.
About the event: In the modern city, a falling tree is treated as waste—a liability to be removed and destroyed. But to the industrial designer, it is an unclaimed resource. Jonathan Montalbano, Founder of The Wood Lot (and RISD ID Alumnus), presents a boots-on-the-ground analysis of Providence's urban forestry lifecycle. Influenced by the principles of the NCSS program, this talk explores how we can close the loop between municipal waste management and fine woodworking, turning the "death" of city trees into a renewable material supply chain for artists and builders.
About the speaker: Jonathan Montalbano is an Industrial Designer, General Contractor, and the founder of The Shop Enterprises, Inc. A graduate of RISD (Industrial Design 16), Jon bridges the gap between high-level design theory and heavy industrial execution. His Providence-based operation manages the full lifecycle of urban timber—from heavy equipment removal and milling to kiln-drying and fabrication. He focuses on "Sovereign Ecology": creating financially and environmentally sustainable systems that reclaim urban resources. He currently operates The Wood Lot in partnership with the City of Providence.
