“A designer from Sao Paulo is working with the city to make use of fallen trees to turn them into sculpture furniture to line the city's parks, streets and plazas. Brazil's largest city was slammed by several strong storms this rainy season that brought with them heavy rain, lightning and winds as high as 90kmph. More than 1,700 trees fell throughout the city as a result of the powerful storms leaving the city asking what it could do with all the wood and fallen trunks and branches strewn throughout the city. The city asked artists and other residents to find ways to make use of the fallen trees and one artist, Hugo Franca, has answered the call.

Franca has been carving massive benches and other pieces of furniture and play equipment out of the trees. Franca said he thought it was important to reuse the wood from the trees so as to not to have to cut down forested areas to harvest the valuable wood that was tossed around the city by the powerful storms. Franca takes the fallen trees and designs the sculpture and then cuts them to shape using a chainsaw. The pieces are then carefully sanded down and covered in varnish to protect the wood. Several of his creations are already being used as sustainable art furniture and residents come to them to sit and relax, have a chat or read as they enjoy the day”. – Adam Justice

Brazilian artist Hugo Franca (R) and his assistant Jailton Procopio look at a tree after cutting it to create a bench at Ibirapuera park in Sao Paulo March 17, 2015. Franca, a designer from Sao Paulo is working with the city to make use of fallen trees to turn them into sculpture furniture to line the city's parks, streets and plazas. Brazil's largest city was slammed by several strong storms this rainy season that brought with them heavy rain, lightning and winds as high as 90 kilometres (55 miles) per hour. (Photo by Nacho Doce/Reuters)

Assistant Jailton Procopio cuts a tree with a chainsaw to create a bench as Brazilian artist Hugo Franca directs him at Ibirapuera park in Sao Paulo March 17, 2015. (Photo by Nacho Doce/Reuters)

Assistant Jailton Procopio cuts a tree with a chainsaw to create a bench by Brazilian artist Hugo Franca (not pictured) at Ibirapuera park in Sao Paulo March 17, 2015. (Photo by Nacho Doce/Reuters)

Brazilian artist Franca poses for a photograph at a tree which was cut to create a bench at Ibirapuera park in Sao Paulo March 17, 2015. (Photo by Nacho Doce/Reuters)

Girls play on a structure which was made from a tree, created by Brazilian artist Hugo Franca (not pictured) at Ibirapuera park in Sao Paulo March 17, 2015. (Photo by Nacho Doce/Reuters)

A resident types a text message on her mobile phone, as she sits on a bench made from a tree, which is a creation by Brazilian artist Hugo Franca at Largo da Batata square in Sao Paulo March 17, 2015. (Photo by Nacho Doce/Reuters)

A man looks at a bench made from a tree, which is created by Brazilian artist Hugo Franca (not pictured) at Ibirapuera park in Sao Paulo March 17, 2015. (Photo by Nacho Doce/Reuters)

Residents sit on a bench made from a tree, which is created by Brazilian artist Hugo Franca (not pictured) at Largo da Batata square in Sao Paulo March 17, 2015. (Photo by Nacho Doce/Reuters)