LESE CHAIR BY KONSTANTIN ACHKOV

The Lese chair is a minimalistic, interlocking, puzzle structure. The unnecessary elements in the construction are avoided, thus emphasizing on the unique shape. Ergonomics is provided by specific inclines in all directions. The hardwood beech legs give strength but also redirect to the classical chairs from the past. The seat and the back are produced from transparent, extremely strong polycarbonate, which allow the beauty of the construction to remain visible.

Konstantin Achkov

TOOL CHAIR BY FREDERIC JULIAN RÄTSCH

"How do we actually sit? Do we really need the whole seat or a classic backrest? Is there always a front or a back? - To questioning known typologies and standards is fundamental in my work as a designer. It is not about making just new and pleasing things, or even for a fashion trend, but rather about driving forward an evolution of things. In doing so, it is necessary to fathom out and change boundaries. The TOOL CHAIR is a chair which enables - maybe even provokes - flexible seating. It enables the sitter to take up various postures and positions. A bent plate on the side offers support, be it as arm rest or backrest, to hold on to, to rest on or place something. With its narrow seat, the TOOL CHAIR cultivates the habit of sitting on the edge of a chair. With its rounded sides and edges, it does not prescribe a sitting posture and allows the sitter to move in any direction.

On average we sit about 9.3 hours per day - much more than we stand, walk or lie. Sitting permanently in one position is unhealthy and sap one's energy. The TOOL CHAIR is to help the user remain concentrated, not for relaxing. On this chair you stay agile - you stand up and sit down again. The seat height is higher than usual to facilitate this. The TOOL CHAIR does not extrapolate immediately, but rather has to be discovered. This involvement increases the "potential for identification". Mostly the chair is not perceived indifferently, but surprises and provokes the user towards discovery.

The TOOL CHAIR is the result of the bachelor thesis on the subject of "Serial Production - a Restriction". In addition to the theme of agile seating, the project’s focus was the precise multiplication of a product with the tools of university’s workshop. The concept and design were continually tested and adapted with serial production in mind.

The restriction was taken as a chance for simplicity and clarity. The design is characterized by straight wooden slats which are just cutted in a special angle and glued afterwards. Tools for the reproduction of components were built in order to manufacture several chairs in a standardised process."

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Embracing Touch seats by Marija Puipaitė

In each case, the designer took the profile of the backs of her legs and the space between the floor, and extruded the section around 360 degrees to create a solid shape. The resulting furniture pieces fit perfectly to her body when seated, whichever direction she is facing.

Driven by a desire to experiment with materials and processes, Puipaitė made each design using different material combinations.

The first seat is formed using birch plywood shaped with Computer Numerically Controlled (CNC) machinery, and the second from plaster, sand and silicone set in a running mould.

She created the third by spinning wool over a medium-density fibreboard (MDF) structure and applying resin at the end.

The project is intended partly as a commentary on how much of themselves designers leave in the things they design.

"I hope people will relate to the idea that there is a lot of personality and intimacy behind every design and art object. The creators leave their essence in their works," said Puipaitė.

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MUNKEGAARD CHAIR BY ARNE JACOBSEN'S REINTRODUCED BY HOWE

Danish brand Howe is relaunching a chair designed by Modernist architect Arne Jacobsen for his 1950s Munkegaard School.

The 1955 Munkegaard chair, also known as the Mosquito chair, was originally designed for the school located in Gentofte – just north of Copenhagen – which completed in 1957 and was listed in 1995.

"We've brought a 1950s classic up-to-date, making it greener and tougher than ever before, and making it what is today: a new classic for the 21st century," said Howe sales and marketing manager Lars Bruntse.

Starting in December, Howe will begin selling the Munkegaard chair in oak, ash and walnut veneer as well as stained veneer in black, white, grey, blue, red and coral.

This is the latest in a series of relaunches of Jacobsen's designs, including the 1958 Drop Chair created for his SAS Royal Hotel in Copenhagen – which had one its rooms revamped by Spanish designer Jaime Hayón last month. To put the chairs back into production, Howe worked with the designer's grandson, Tobias Jacobsen, who presides over the Arne Jacobsen Foundation. The brand acquired the rights to both the Tongue and Munkegaard through royalties agreements.

Other Modern seating designs that have recently gone back into production include Lina Bo Bardi's Bowl chair and Hans Wegner's CH88 chair.

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Electron Chair by Konstantin Achkov

Bulgarian designer Konstantin Achkov has created his new Elestron chair, which is part of Lese series. Lese series is puzzle construction, made of 18mm beech plywood, cutout with CNC router. As usual the chair is assembled without glue, screws or nails. 

“ The chair Electron is my first experiment to make chair with textile seat and back and puzzle base. The side-view of simmetrical geometric form, look like simbol of electron. The chair is very stable, because middle three-dimensional x-form structure, make a clean vibration.”said Konstantin

Photographer: Liubo Srgeev

Colibri by Markus Johansson for HansK

Markus Johansson has designed the Colibri chair for Swedish manufacturer HansK.
From the designer

"Colibri is inspired from Nordic stickback chairs into a contemporary modernist expression: easy-going and yet quite classical. Furthermore, Colibri empowers its proprietor whom can take part in the design. Choose from four different bases, four different seats in textile or bonded leather, four different backs, or opt for four different ones with armrests.

The finish is either white lacquered birch or dyed black elm, or opt for oiled natural or blonde oak. There is also an accompanying slender table with a border in massive oak and a durable table-top in melamine."

SELLA/SELLINO STOOLS BY BIBI DESIGN

"Bike saddle stool: Sella/Sellino Stools by bibi Design is simple seating, assembled from interlocking components, available in two heights, inspired by (and named in Italian from) the bicycle saddle. "

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SPLIT CHAIR BY RONI SHALMON

SPLIT Chair by Roni Shalmon, in solid natural ash, presents unusual yet familiar-feeling angles from geometry inspired by branching.

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