Little Thunder Butaca by Grasset Francois

Little Thunder Butaca by Grasset Francois is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2020 A' Design Award d'Argent in Disseny de Mobiliari Competition Category.

ArgentMobiliari· 2020

Little Thunder Butaca

by Grasset Francois

Client: Briant Sellerie

A' Design Award d'Argent Winner in Mobiliari Category

28,440

Verified Award Winner

Verify Award Status for #93114

View at A' Design Award Press Release Award Badge

Colors

The Design

About Little Thunder Butaca

Little Thunder és una butaca dissenyada per a llars i espais de treball. L'estructura es basa en una volta, una forma de mig cilindre utilitzada en arquitectura des de l'antiguitat. La volta confereix resistència a la butaca alhora que empra els materials de manera continguda. A la forma corba bàsica s'hi afegeixen un seient i un respatller. La butaca està feta de panells de fusta multicapa emmotllats en grans motlles. La superfície es pot lacar en diversos colors o revestir amb xapa de noguera. La butaca fa 800 mm d'amplada, 630 mm de fondària i 730 mm d'alçada.

The Recognition

About the A' Design Award d'Argent

Little Thunder Butaca és un guanyador del guardó A' Design Award d'Argent, un reconeixement extraordinàriament prestigiós concedit a dissenys d'alta gamma, esplèndids i impressionants. Els guanyadors d'Argent són obres tremendament brillants i summament creatives que il·lustren la perícia, el talent i la perspicàcia excepcionals dels seus dissenyadors. Es preveu que Little Thunder Butaca sigui una obra meravellosa i de gran lluïment, remarcablement professional i profundament innovadora. Aquest disseny guanyador del guardó A' Design Award d'Argent és un invent molt notable i admirat que beneficia i fa avançar els límits de l'art, la ciència, el disseny i la tecnologia. Little Thunder Butaca és una creació molt envejada que evoca desitjos, introdueix sentiments positius i desperta sorpresa i admiració.

Behind the Design

Press Kit

Credits, team members and technical details provided by the designer.

Unique Properties: This armchair employs a vault shape, which is one of the most robust structure possible with these materials. It also is highly decorative – examples of this architecture can be found going back to antiquity. Little Thunder’s timeless design means it will be a prized piece for years, isn't it the hallmark of a truly environmentally and social responsible design ?
Dimensions & Packaging: Width : 800 mm, depth : 630 mm, Height : 730 mm.
Tags: Armchair, arch, vault, wood, Little Thunder.
Production Technology: After making the foundational decision to adopt an vault structure, the design process progressed rather quickly. The fine-tuning process was meticulous, as we had to account for ergonomic factors. The manufacturing process requires specific skills, including multi-layer wood panels using large moulds. The suggested model is lacquered (with several colour options) or uses walnut wood veneer.
Design Challenge: The challenge was to design a furniture item, visually powerful enough to represent the diversification strategy of the company. It had to be manufactured in small series, ideally by one or several craftsmen.
Research: This armchair was developed for business and home uses. It will fit perfectly in an office or waiting room setting as well as in a living room or home office.
Inspiration: The Little Thunder armchair was born of our desire to create a very geometrically stable seat while using materials rigorously. The idea of a half-cylinder soon became obvious because its structure is so effective. Simply adding a seat and backrest to the basic shape can bring the same strong sensations as a summer thunderstorm.
Project Duration: We first began designing this armchair about a year and a half ago (in early 2018). After a number of sketches and 3D-printed scale models, we adjusted the shape to best suit ergonomic seating positions.
The study and production of the laminated timber armchair were done in Chambéry (Savoy), France.
Operation Flow: This armchair is designed to create a visual impact on its environment. Its shapes and geometric curves give it a highly graphical and surprising character. The lines crisscross but never clash, after numerous attempts to find a clean, comfortable result. Several finishes are offered to best match your desired indoor decoration.
Finally, further studies have yielded versions with wider armrests and strengthened, decorative bases.