Modern Commercial Seating

Time and again furniture designers have drawn upon historical figures, events, and places to inspire them in their creations. Though I am not 100 percent certain, it could be very well be that designers Bryce and Kerry Moore were influenced by the idea of the joint sovereignty of King William II (known as William III in his other kingdoms) and Queen Mary II over England and Scotland in the late 17^th century for their William and Mary Boheme Café Chairs. (It might also be possible that they were inspired by an opera by Puccini, but let’s not go there. Let’s stick with the monarchic theme.)

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All people have stories to tell and the way they choose to tell their stories is almost as much fun, entertaining, or educational as the stories themselves. The Transplastic furniture series from Brazilian brothers Fernando and Humberto Campana is one good example of a form of expression. They tell a story that encompasses the topics of Brazilian ecology and Brazilian décor.

What the brothers did was to integrate common plastic chairs and natural fibers, an intriguing contrast between the synthetic and the natural. It’s like the fibers are growing from the plastic, overpowering it. It’s reminiscent of how jungles in various parts of the world swallow up man-made structures after they are abandoned.

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Post-modernist, that’s one of the many, many words used to describe the work of architect Frank Gehry, who lives and works in California. The master behind the design of internationally known buildings like the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain, and the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles, he has received numerous awards for his work, earning him a place in an elite group of his peers – they are called ‘starchitects’ for good reason.

Aside from buildings, Gehry also designs furniture. The Frank Gehry Furniture Collection is a quintessential example of his work in this field. And modern looking the pieces in it are indeed, with their minimalist look that somehow still manages to convey a sense of play with their wide curves. They are chunky, but not awkward. The chairs and tables in this collection aren’t stiff and boring and don’t come across as trying too hard to make an impression. They just do.

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Pick up sticks is an old game, one that has been very popular with children throughout the ages. Players have to have steady hands to remove one stick in a pile without getting the others to move. One variation of the game is called Mikado. The Japanese-sounding name notwithstanding, it actually originated in Europe. Sticks used are made using a variety of materials, including wood, ivory, and plastics.

The sticks are a big source of inspiration for French-born designer Emmanuelle Moureaux, who created what she simply calls the Stick Chair. It was exhibited at the 100% Design Tokyo 2007 show, and was also featured in several design sites, like designboom. The big round wooden sticks, seven of varying colors for each chair, are very much reminiscent of the game.

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Furniture as art – chairs, specifically. That was the concept behind the China Chair Project (CCP) that was launched at the December 2007 Art Basel Miami exhibition in Florida. The chairs that the participating artists came up with do not look like the kinds we use at home or in commercial settings, but according Paul Hughes, who conceptualized and produced the CCP, they do not poke fun at design. Rather, they are works of art – sculptures of self-expression.

Many of the featured artists had no previous experience working in three-dimensional media and the majority had never created a chair. It doesn’t seem likely that we’ll see their creations being used as bar chairs and the like. Still, it’s interesting to see how they used seating as a form of expressing their thoughts, ideology, and culture. Let’s take a look at a few of them. (Click on thumbnails below to enlarge.)

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It is a fact that advertising companies use subliminal techniques in the campaigns they create for companies. The idea is to attract customers’ attention – and maybe their wallets – primarily by appealing to the natural human desire for sex. This they do by inserting subtle text or images that remind one of sex or sexual behavior. You’ll see a few examples of subliminal advertising here.

But this set of chairs by Italian designer Edoardo de Falchi is a bit more obvious, a bit more blatant. Or is it? These three chairs resemble certain letters of the alphabet, which are not readable at first glance. But arranged a certain way, one will eventually realize that they spell either “sex” or “yes.” A bit ingenious, isn’t it? I wonder what it means psychologically if you see “sex” or “yes” first. In any case, according to the designer, his Sex Chairs set is something of a subliminal joke regarding the relation between design and desire.

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If you ever thought all you could do in a bar is to eat and drink, then you’d better think again. People who live in areas of the world other than North America or Europe just might be surprised at the concept of a nail bar. It looks like your ordinary bar at first glance. Only instead of liquor bottles arranged behind the counter, you’ll see rows and rows of nail polish. Instead of a bartender, you’ll see a cosmetician ready to create French tips on your fingernails rather than make you a French 75 cocktail.

The furniture is pretty much similar too. You’ll find stools and bar chairs and tables in both. Patrons extend their hands over bistro tables for manicurists to attend to; on these tables are bowls to dip one’s fingernails into or the beautician’s paraphernalia. An example is the Vanity K Nail Bar at the K West Hotel and Spa in London, England. You can tell from the picture that the tables they have there would look right at home in a regular bar or restaurant too.

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Commercial-quality seating encompasses a range of designs that are nearly endless. Some of the more popular ones have a few things in common: they look ultra-modern with their sleek and stylish lines. Mostly they aren’t anything fancy, but still they manage to be eye-catching. This is probably due to the appearance of the materials used and the craftsmanship level, among other things.

The Gas Chair by Jesus Gasca is one such piece of furniture. Launched in 2000, it is made in Italy and only available to U.S. customers exclusively through Design Within Reach. Its very simplicity is what catches one’s attention about it. The lightness of appearance is caused by the curves and fluid lines, not to mention the colors: silver and white. They would do well as modern bar chairs or as café chairs, but not for outdoor applications, I think. It would be a shame to have those white colors degrade quickly into dirty ash or grey.

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Venice, the land of gondolas, canals, romance. That isn’t to say it’s a perfect lovers’ paradise, what with its share of dark history, but still there’s no denying it evokes feelings and images of romance. Apparently it has served as inspiration for some furniture designers too, like local designer Paolo Favaretto, who launched his Venezia chair in 2006.

What was it about Venice that had Favaretto naming his chair after the city? It isn’t shaped like a gondola, though the gondola plays a large part in Favaratto’s design process. In fact, it’s the chair’s slatted back that has a connection to the famed Venetian watercraft, because according to Favaretto, it reminds him of a gondola’s bow iron. Looking at the chair, though, my first impression was that it wouldn’t be very comfortable because of how the slatted back seemingly curves. It looks like it would make the user lean forward. I was mistaken; the back curves in such a way that it both embraces and flows away from the user. In addition, the ends of the chair rail are perfectly situated to act as arm rests.

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In the world of sneakers and athletic shoes there’s something called “Air Jordan.” Well, in the world of furniture design, we have the Air Chair by Jasper Morrison. It’s a seating option that would do well in many commercial establishments, as modern bar furniture, as outdoor café seating, as casual restaurant chairs.

The chair is created as a single-piece construction from a combination of polypropylene and fiberglass, and is durable enough for both indoor and outdoor applications. It is resistant to ultraviolet radiation, so no worries about leaving it out in hot weather. The hole at the back of the seat lets liquid flow down, so no problem about leaving it out in the rain either. Plus, it’s easy to clean – just wipe down with a piece of cloth. Need to put away several pieces that are not in use? No problem, just stack them up – up to ten at a time – and store them away somewhere. So it’s space-saving too. Its sturdiness doesn’t mean it lacks in the user comfort department; the seat flexes with the user’s weight.

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Handkerchiefs – everyday life for those of us who go to school or work away from home would be much messier if we didn’t have those little pieces of cloth on our person. They’re small, but they aren’t insignificant. Just like the Handkerchief stacking chairs from Vignelli Designs. With their ergonomic features and funky appearance, they radiate an aura of gentle and soft appeal.

It would seem like these chairs have most if not all the necessary characteristics for contract café furniture. Let’s take a look at some of them: (more…)