A relaxing lounge chair for the business market

Students from the Oslo National Academy of the Arts presented several creations at the Stockholm Furniture Fair last week. Among them was the lounge chair Kvile (meaning rest), by Maria Bjørlykke. It is a lounge chair for the business market made of wood laminate and a steel undercarriage. Sitting in a laid-back and relaxed manner is typical of the phenomenon "lounging". For this reason, the sitting angle is larger and the seat deeper and lower in height. The chair has a simple and harmonious look that meets the requirements of a relaxed sitting situation.

Characteristic features of the chair are the light, shell-like forms made of walnut veneer which rest on the undercarriage of white-lacquered, moulded steel. The aim of the work process has been to investigate the quality of the materials and to break new ground as regards the threedimensional use of wood laminate. Laminate is a strong material with great design potential. The design of this chair was inspired by the idiom of the 1960s, with organic curves and rounded edges. Nevertheless, the chair has a stringent look, offset by its curves and rounded edges. The seat and back are composed of two identical forms and when these meet, a negative space is created that gives the chair its character. The structure in walnut veneer emphasises the shape of the seat and back. The steel undercarriage
winds its way elegantly under the chair to give a holistic impression.