Zene Iessstull by John G Williams is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2018 A' Design Award an Eisen in Miwwelendesign Competition Category.

EisenMiwwelen· 2018

Zene Iessstull

by John G Williams

Client: John G Williams

A' Design Award an Eisen Winner in Miwwelen Category

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Verified Award Winner

Verify Award Status for #58495

View at A' Design Award Press Release Award Badge

Colors

The Design

About Zene Iessstull

De Zene Iessstull huelt seng Inspiratioun aus heemeschem Holz an däneschem Modern Design. D'liicht Eschenholzgestelle sinn einfach a robust an droen Sëtzer a Réckelehnen aus Hartholz, déi schéngen um Gestell ze schwiewen. Déi gekrëmmt Formen vum Sëtz/vun der Réckelehn ginn net duerch d'Béie vum Holz geformt, mä éischter duerch d'Verbannen an d'Formen vum massiven Hartholz. Als Serie bidden d'liicht Eschenholzgestelle Zesummenhalt, an déi verschidde lokal Materialien, déi fir d'Sëtzer/Réckelehne gewielt goufen, schafen Interessi a Relevanz.

The Recognition

About the A' Design Award an Eisen

Zene Iessstull ass e Gewënner vum A' Design Award an Eisen, enger prestigiéiser Unerkennung, déi un gutt Designe vergi gëtt, déi déi professionell an industriell Ufuerderunge erfëllen, déi vu gutt gestaltene Kreatioune erwaart ginn. Eisen-Gewënner weisen déi grouss Fäegkeet, déi héich Spezialiséierung, dat Expertewëssen an d'kreativ Kapazitéit vun hire Schëpfer. Et gëtt erwaart, datt Zene Iessstull eng héich geschätzt, bewonnert a beléifte Kreatioun ass, déi praktesch an innovativ ass. Dëst mam Eisen ausgezeechent Design integréiert déi beschte Praktike vun der Industrie a huet kompetent technesch Eegeschaften, déi mat Know-how an Talent verbonne sinn. Zene Iessstull gëtt fir seng Grëndlechkeet respektéiert a ass gestalt, d'Liewensqualitéit ze verbesseren an ze hëllefen, d'Welt zu enger besserer Plaz ze maachen.

Behind the Design

Press Kit

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

Unique Properties: This series of dining chairs have American ash frames and showcase different hardwood timbers for the seat/backrest combinations.

The chairs draw on the ancient art of 'coopering' or how oak barrels are made for fermentation purposes. The curved forms of the seat/backrest are not formed by bending but rather by joining and shaping solid hardwood timber.

The chair strives to be very strong and beautiful. In short: Zene -
elegant, comfortable and dependable.
Dimensions & Packaging: 515mm wide x 570mm deep x 890mm high
seat: 515mm wide x 390mm deep
back:515mm wide x 200mm high
Tags: zene, dining chair, south africa, hardwood, curved, cooper, danish modern, minimalist
Production Technology: The Zene design evolved over a number of years. The starting point was probably a fascination with the art of coopering and how this has been applied to furniture design. Building the segmented seat and backrests took some practice to perfect, as did the development of custom modifications to standard workshop tools to shape and finish the smoothly shaped forms.
Design Challenge: Building the coopered seat/backrests was challenging as it required careful attention to the compression forces on the material and how best to achieve high compression without causing the seats to 'implode'.
Shaping the rough seats into finely finished and smooth curves required considerable re-working of the custom tooling to achieve the desired results
Research: Danish modern designs were studied and absorbed to consider different ways of rendering the frame, and its relationship to the seat, and to think through the spatial relationship of the seat to the backrest.
Web search was used to think about typical dimensions for the seat but in the end prototyping proved most fun.
Inspiration: The beauty grain and colour of indigenous African timber was a key aesthetic inspiration for this project. The more technical inspiration for the overall work, including the frame design came from iconic designers such as Hans J Wegner (for example the CH20 Elbow Chair). The coopering technique was inspired by Ontario furniture designer Adrian Ferrazzutti.
Project Duration: The first prototype was conceived in Johannesburg in 2007. It was slowly refined as background task over 10 years, and the first set of 6 chairs was produced in 2017
Operation Flow: Zene is designed mainly for use at the dining table and is designed for extended dining comfort.
Patents: no patents pending
Team Members: John G Williams: designer, craftsman
Image Credits: all images by the designer: John G Williams