Designers and students around the world have been creating sustainable chairs expressive of their own environment for the annual "One Good Chair: Fit Right Here" Design Competition.
The judges have spoken. The following are the 2009 One Good Chair: Fit Right Here finalists:
Andrej Blazon, Movo Mesto, Slovenia: “The Charity Chair.” This chair is made of recycled/recyclable materials and its Escher-like shape is inspired by the cornets worn by the Daughters of Charity order (i.e. a nun’s hat).
Azul Cadenas, Miami Shores, Florida: “BAMTAK Chair.” This chair pays homage to the chaise lounges in which Argentinians sit during “asados,” or barbecues. Made of bamboo found near the Delta River in Buenos Aires, this chair is a more compact version of the traditional chaise, aimed at urbanites looking to lounge without taking up too much real estate.
Helene Cany, Cambrai, France: “Sediliegi Chair.” Designed to evoke the sensibilities of Turin, the Sediliegi was inspired by the seats in Fiats and Ferraris (both made in Turin). Made of molded cork, with seating for two people, the lounge chair is easy to transport and a comfortable spot from which to gaze at the Alps.
Detailed information on the three finalists and 20 semi-finalists can be located at onegoodchair.com.
For the first time, prototypes of the finalists’ chairs will be on exhibit during September Las Vegas Market Sept. 14-17. Patagonia Legacy and Piper Plastics worked to manufacture the prototypes.
Competition and jury chair Lance Hosey says reviewing the entries was like taking a tour around the world. “This is exciting for a competition promoting the unique cultural and natural character of different places,” he says. “It’s also appropriate that the jury list has expanded to include judges outside the US.”
Hosey, an architect and author of The Shape of Green: Aesthetics, Ecology, and Design, is also a contributing editor with Architect magazine, where he writes the monthly “ecology” column. He says that this year’s theme — “Fit Right Here” — has been challenging. The goal is to emphasize the connection between a person fitting comfortably in a chair as well as the chair fitting appropriately in its environment and the eco-system. That meant that not only did contestants have to emphasize the sustainability of materials, but also the sustainability of form and culture.
Hosey says he was highly impressed with the designs that were submitted. “I was quite excited to see the range of ideas. The three finalists are great examples. Who would have thought that compelling chairs could be inspired by the chassis of a Fiat, the rituals of grilling steak and a nun’s hat?” he says. “I can’t wait to see the chairs in Vegas!”
Final rankings and prizes will be announced at Las Vegas Market, September 15 at 4 p.m. during a panel discussion in Building B, Worldview on the 16th Floor. Moderated by Lance Hosey, on-site judges and panelists include Roger Thomas, Executive Vice President, Wynn Design & Development; Susan Szenasy, Editor in Chief, Metropolis Magazine; Margaret McCurry, Principal, Tigerman McCurry Architects; and Michelle Addington, Associate Professor of
Architecture, Forestry and Environmental Studies, Yale University. A reception will follow on the SkyView Terrace, 16th floor, Building B.
Susan Inglis, executive director for the Sustainable Furnishings Council, says that the hands-on nature of the prototypes really enhances the experience. “This year's competition is particularly exciting because the prototypes are being built,” she says. “This allows manufacturers as well as designers committed to sustainability to showcase their brilliant capabilities. We were overwhelmed by so many good submissions, and the quality of design work is really impressive and imaginative."
Margaret Casey, director of programming at WMCLV and a founding member of the SFC, said innovation and form continue to be imperative in the judging criteria. “Judges were looking for a lounge chair or casual seating chair designs that demonstrated a fresh way of addressing material conservation, physical comfort and emotional resonance,” Casey says. “They found that, and more, in the innovative ideas that came to us from across the world.”
$5,000 cash prize for the winner, intended to support further development of the winning chair designs, will be awarded in Las Vegas at a reception sponsored by World Market Center Las Vegas. The reception will take place during Fall Las Vegas Market, Sept. 14–17. Winners and select entries will be featured in industry publications such as www.ecofabulous.com and other media outlets, as well as Hosey’s forthcoming book, The Shape of Green: Aesthetics, Ecology, and Design. All finalists are featured on the competition website and public exhibitions.
The competition and reception is a part of World Market Center’s Brave New World Environmental Leadership Series. Visit www.onegoodchair.com, www.LasVegasMarket.com or www.sustainablefurnishings.org for more information.
The judges of One Good Chair represent a cross section of renowned designers, researchers and academics with specific expertise in eco-friendly design. They used the following process to select finalists:
Each judge chose 10 favorite entries and gave them numeric scores. Ranking theses scores determined 20 semifinalists, including the 3 finalists.
Metropolis magazine and ecofabulous.com are the program's media sponsors.
Members of the One Good Chair jury include: