Silver Furniture · 2020

Haleiwa Chair

by Melissa Mae Tan

Silver A' Design Award 2020 in Furniture
CLIENT: Beyond Function
Estimated Number of Design Views: 64,262
Verification code 3322338873 · Verify this award

View at A' Design Award Press Release

Colors

About Haleiwa Chair

The Haleiwa weaves sustainable rattan into sweeping curves and casts a distinct silhouette. The natural materials pay homage to the artisanal tradition in the Philippines, remade for present times. Paired, or used as a statement piece, the versatility of the design makes this chair adapt to different styles. Creating a balance between form and function, grace and strength, architecture and design, the Haleiwa is as comfortable as it is beautiful.

About the Silver A' Design Award

Haleiwa Chair is a Silver A' Design Award winner, an extraordinarily prestigious recognition granted to top-of-the-line, gorgeous, and impressive designs. Silver winners are tremendously brilliant and exceedingly creative works that illustrate the outstanding expertise, talent, and acuity of their designers. Haleiwa Chair is expected to be a wonderful, showpiece work that is remarkably professional and profoundly innovative. This Silver A' Design Award-winning design is a highly notable, admired invention that benefits and advances the boundaries of art, science, design, and technology. Haleiwa Chair is a vastly envied creation that evokes desires, introduces positive feelings, and sparks amazement and wonderment.

Press Kit

Unique Properties: Legacy meets contemporary. Grace meets strength. Sweeping curves seamlessly merge with striking lines. Rattan, a pliant material commonly used in indigenous Philippine furniture, gets a modern upgrade when paired with a solid metal frame. This chair's form and weave pay tribute to the rich history of the material and the artisans that have crafted pieces from it, while breaking away from tradition just enough to create a statement.
Dimensions & Packaging: 640mm width x 850mm depth x 830mm height
Tags: haleiwa, chair, rattan, woven, handmade, indigenous
Production Technology: Rattan is a sustainable material commonly used for weaving due to its durability. A cantilever design would not have been practical, and thus metal framing was used to add stability. As a nod to the handwoven rattan, the metal was manually bent to shape.
Design Challenge: Stability was a key concern. The width of the legs that connect the base to the seat posed a challenge. The design of a triangular base was the solution that balanced the structural and aesthetic. Internal support placement also posed a challenge since the design shows all of its skeletal composition. The supports had to be created and then strategically located in order to maximize stability, while being as inconspicuous as possible.
Research: The research focus for the Haleiwa was on the balance and stability based on its unconventional form. The optimum placements of supports and dimensions of elements were studied and tested throughout the prototyping period.
Inspiration: This piece was inspired by the concept of balance. The balance between strength and fluidity, modern and traditional, complexity and simplicity.
Project Duration: The chair was conceptualized in August 2019 and prototype finished October 2019. Designed and manufactured in Manila, Philippines
Operation Flow: The chair is wide enough for the user to sit comfortably in any position. Cushions are also provided for additional ease and comfort without distracting from the visual impact.
Image Credits: All images: Photographer Berwin Coroza, 2020