Reto Nardini

Woodworker

©Reto Nardini

Electric wooden cars

Reto makes wooden car kits that can be assembled
His specialities are CNC machining, electronics and laser cutting
He holds a degree in theoretical physics

When Reto Nardini was a child, he had a dream, where he installed a mechanic part in a car. “There was a profound sense of calmness and a remarkable state of mind I had in this otherwise random activity,” he recalls. After 30 years of experimenting with orthopedic leg covers, modular wooden tree-of-life and dolls, Reto once again turned to cars. Today, he makes car kits that can be assembled and dismantled by his customers that bring together his physics, technology and woodworking knowledge. With these car kits, Reto wishes to encourage others to work hands-on with both electronic parts and basic natural materials, such as wood, as well as to provoke a conversation on how electronics changes the way we perceive nature and interact with one another.

Interview

©Reto Nardini

©Reto Nardini

How is your craft linked to the territory?: Mechanical manufacturing and engineering, especially watchmaking, have a long history in Switzerland. Here, I was able to encounter the state of mind that manufacturers work with, and it is exactly this approach that I wish to cultivate in my work and pass on to others.
What motivates you to create wooden car kits?: I like experimenting with the interaction between technology and human kind – and this synergy could be achieved when driving an assembled wooden car. But what motivates me the most is the never-ending potential during the assembling part.
What was the first object you made?: In 2005 I presented a complex installation at the Swiss Museum of Transport, which consisted of remote controlled vehicles and spaceflight-like interfaces. It addressed how we interact with each other, when closely engaged with technology and stress.
What is your dream project?: A ballet dancer developing a performance to express their transcendental state of mind, using a simplistic set of objects that help the viewer relate to the experience. I would love to provide the objects, ideally made from wood.

Reto Nardini is an expert artisan: he began his career in 2005 and he started teaching in 2019