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Beke Primary Function: Silya sa Kainan by John G Williams

Beke Primary Function: Silya sa Kainan by John G Williams is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2019 A' Design Award na Bakal in Disenyo ng Muwebles Competition Category.


BakalMuwebles· 2019

Beke Primary Function: Silya sa Kainan

by John G Williams

Client: John G Williams Fine Furniture

A' Design Award na Bakal Winner in Muwebles Category

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Verified Award Winner

Verify Award Status for #70678

Colors

The Design

About Beke Primary Function: Silya sa Kainan

Book Text: Ang Beke ay nangangahulugang 'kapayapaan' at 'makaugnay sa'. Ang disenyo ng silyang pangkainan na Beke ay tumataguyod ng ergonomiko at estetikong pakiramdam ng kapayapaan, at sa parehong pagkakataon ay isang pakiramdam ng koneksyon sa espasyo sa hapag. Iginagalang ng disenyo ang pagiging simple ng pilosopiyang Danish Modern, ngunit nagsasama pa rin ito ng hinubog na buong matigas na kahoy na upuan at likod; pinagsasama ang mga arkitektural na motif na South African Cape Dutch na may isang malawak na arkitektural na hugis; at gumagamit ng malinis na balangkas ng ash upang ipakita ang kayamanan ng lokal at internasyonal na matitigas na kahoy.

The Recognition

About the A' Design Award na Bakal

Ang Beke Primary Function: Silya sa Kainan ay nagwagi ng A' Design Award na Bakal, isang prestihiyosong pagkilalang iginagawad sa mga mahuhusay na disenyong tumutugon sa mga propesyonal at pang-industriyang kinakailangang inaasahan sa mga mahusay na pagkakadisenyong likha. Ang mga nagwagi ng Bakal ay nagpapakita ng dakilang husay, mataas na espesyalisasyon, dalubhasang pag-unawa at kakayahang malikhain ng kanilang mga lumikha. Inaasahang ang Beke Primary Function: Silya sa Kainan ay isang lubos na pinahahalagahan, hinahangaan at minamahal na likhang praktikal at makabago. Ang disenyong ito na nagwagi ng A' Design Award na Bakal ay nagsasama ng pinakamahuhusay na kasanayan ng industriya at may mahuhusay na katangiang teknikal na may kasamang kaalaman at talento. Ang Beke Primary Function: Silya sa Kainan ay iginagalang dahil sa kaingatan nito at idinisenyo upang maghatid ng mga pagpapabuti sa kalidad ng buhay na tumutulong gawing mas mabuting lugar ang mundo.

Behind the Design

Press Kit

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

Unique Properties
The Beke design uses a combination of innovative components.
The seat is a unique design laminated from individually shaped profiles to yield the final solid hardwood architectural form.
The rear legs are formed in two parts: first by steam bending the graceful form, and then laminating for long term dimensional stability.
The rails are profiled in an attempt to reinforce the overall lightness and sense of peace, and to support the cantilevered seat over the front rail.
Dimensions & Packaging
Overall dimensions: 880mm high; 520mm wide; 600mm deep
Seat size in plan: 520mm wide x 440 mm deep
Backrest size in elevation: 540mm wide x 200mm high
Seat height from floor: 460mm. Raked back at 5 degrees
Back rest height from floor: 825mm. Raked back at 18 degrees
Weight: 5.5kg
Tags
Beke, dining chair, south africa, hardwood, curved, danish modern, minimalist, ash, walnut, graceful
Production Technology
The chair design incorporates a number of innovative components: custom profiled hardwood seat; steam bent rear legs; coopered backrest; and shaped rails:
Custom profiled hardwood seat. The seat is constructed from over twenty individually shaped profiles that are formed from a solid hardwood, such as walnut. The laminated rough form is finished with purpose modified sanding tooling, to realize the final shape. Threaded inserts in the base of the seat provide strong engineered connection to the frame for the cantilevered seat form.
Steam bent rear legs. The rear legs are steam bent in two pieces; cooled and stabilized; and then laminated to generate the final leg forms. Regular lamination was discarded on account of the excessive glue joints implied; and steam bending alone risked dimensional instability over time. This innovative combination captures the best of both techniques.
Coopered backrest. Coopering is the ancient art of constructing curved forms as used in barrel construction. The backrest staves are cut with edges 1 degree off perpendicular so that, when glued together, they pull into the curved form. Modified power tools are used to finish shape the graceful curves.
Shaped rails. The rails incorporate forms that echo local Cape Dutch architecture. These are achieved by trimming the rails to custom templates.
Design Challenge
The hardest part of this design was to make sure that the end result was clean, simple and graceful. On multiple occasions unduly complicated ideas were abandoned in favour of simpler, cleaner design details
Research
The Carl Hansen library of designs were carefully reviewed and analysed;
Earlier designs were critiqued, including last year's Zene design;
Various sweeping architectural forms were referenced;
Steam bending method and realisation were researched drawing on various inputs including helpful general introduction by Veritas;
Template cutting and trimming methods were researched and prototyped, to understand the boundaries and possibilities.
Inspiration
Beke means 'peace' and 'to be connected to'. This design is intended to put the user at ease, for extended comfort at the dining table – to provide an ergonomic and aesthetic sense of peace. The design attempts to realize this sense of well-being, and at the same time to support a sense of connection with the space at the table, and hence engagement with the other diners.
The design: respects the simplicity of the Danish Modern, and yet incorporates a luxurious solid hardwood seat and back; integrates South African Cape Dutch architectural motifs with a sweeping architectural profile; uses a clean ash frame to showcase the richness of local and international hardwoods.
Project Duration
Work started on the design in March 2018 and was completed it in May 2018.
Operation Flow
The chair works well at the dining table and, when pushed back or used elsewhere, is also comfortable for extended periods of time. Moving the chair around is easy – the hand naturally finds the hand-shaped indent at the bottom edge of the backrest and the well-balanced chair is readily lifted from this point
Patents
UK IP Office Registered Design: 6047911
Holder: John Griffith Williams, 2018
Team Members
John G Williams
Image Credits
All photos by John G Williams

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