One isn’t enough: Chair contest honors three
By Furniture Today Staff -- Furniture Today, September 21, 2009
LAS VEGAS — Judges in the One Good Chair here were so impressed with the three finalists that they changed the name of this year’s design competition to “Three Good Chairs: Fit Right Here.”
Jury chair Lance Hosey said that instead of choosing a $5,000 first price, the judges opted to give each of the three finalists $2,000 because there was so much debate about the merits of each chair.
The competition and an awards reception Tuesday are part of the World Market Center’s Brave New World Environmental Leadership Series. Designers were invited to create an iconic eco-chair representing a region-specific design.
And the winners are:
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Andrej Blazon, Movo Mesto, Slovenia, for the Charity Chair, made of recycled/recyclable materials and inspired by the cornets worn by the Daughters of Charity order of nuns.
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Azul Cadenas, Miami Shores, Fla., for the BAMTAK Chair, which pays homage to the chaise lounges in which Argentinians sit during “asados” or barbecues. It is made of bamboo found near the Delta River in Buenos Aires.
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Helene Cany, Cambrai, France, for the Sediliegi Chair. Designed to evoke the sensibilities of Turin, Italy, the molded cork, two-person seat was inspired by the seats in Fiats and Ferraris (both made in Turin).
In a People’s Choice Award based on polling on treehugger.com, the BAMTAK chair won 51% of the vote, the Charity Chair 25% and the Sediliegi 24%.
Judges also presented an honorable mention to the Chopstick/Steamer stool, designed by Ryan Horsman and Jason Dembski, advised by Mary-Ann Ray and Robert Mangurian. It takes cues from Chinese culture, reusing everyday items such as dumpling steamers and chopsticks to create a piece of furniture.
Two semifinalists also were named:
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Susan Drescher’s Sling chair, manufactured by Patagonia Legacy, which was created from trees that fall naturally in the United States due to storm and disease.
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The XVIIIE chair, designed by Brian Novello Benjamin Bakas and Muhammad Hussain, which evokes images of the Montmartre district in Paris.
Some of the entries will be featured in Hosey’s forthcoming book, “The Shape of Green: Aesthetics, Ecology, and Design.”
Detailed information on 20 of the top contest entries is online at www.onegoodchair.com.
