Thonet is delighted to take part in the much-anticipated return of Clerkenwell Design Week in May. With a stand in the familiar surroundings of the lively Design Fields venue, Thonet will introduce those visiting the heart of London’s design scene to the brand’s latest creations, plus revived classics in furniture history.
2022 sees this pioneering company continue to build confidently on everything that makes the brand so iconic. From the foundation of its unique heritage and distinctive ‘design DNA’, Thonet maintains a portfolio that is not only timeless, sustainable and authentic but also relevant and thoughtfully adapted to contemporary demands.
On show at CDW 22 will be new product releases as well as well-loved pieces in new finishes and versions, plus extensions to certain highly popular contemporary ranges:
An impressive all-rounder: the Triennale S 661 chair
Re-edition of Günter Eberle’s design from 1954
In the 1950s, moulded plywood was a driver of innovation; a love of organic forms inspired designers. Furniture such as the S 661 chair designed by Günter Eberle brought lightness and life into interior spaces. The fluid design, with its elegantly curved seat shell made of moulded plywood, was awarded a silver medal at the Triennale design exhibition in Milan in 1954, and also went on to win the iF Product Design Award the same year. Thanks to its versatility and efficient use of resources, the S 661 remains aesthetically contemporary, and has now been re-edited by Thonet.
This true all-rounder, available now in a range of woods and colours, is at home in the dining room, kitchen, living room or office, as well as in public spaces such as restaurants and waiting areas. The essence of the moulded plywood shell lies in its natural materials, available in elegant walnut or warm oak. The chair also comes in natural beech, as well as rust red and olive green.
The tubular steel frame is available with a chrome-plated finish or as powder-coated in white or black. Despite the minimalist shape and use of materials, the visible wood grain and soft curves lend the chair an inviting warmth, a visual blend that creates a particular presence in any room.
“Günter Eberle, head of the Architecture Department in Frankenberg at the time, successfully set the organic against precision in his award-winning design,” says Thonet’s Creative Director Norbert Ruf. “The S 661 combines clear lines with a precise contour. Though the chair has reduced aesthetics and a lightness about it, thanks to its plasticity, it also appears warm and inviting. It’s the perfect time for this type of furniture to make a comeback.”
The 119: A lightweight lounge chair for living rooms and hotel lobbies
Design: Sebastian Herkner, 2021
Classic materials such as bentwood and canework, reduced to the essential. The new 119 chair designed by Sebastian Herkner is a quintessential Thonet piece that’s bound to make its mark in any setting. It can be positioned alone, or grouped, as an elegant counterpoint to a comfy sofa, whether in a residential living room or the lounge area of a hotel lobby or the reception/breakout area of a ‘New Work’ type environment. This latest design has emerged organically from the successful 118 chair programme, originally created for Thonet by Sebastian Herkner in 2018.
The new 119 lounge chair has a strikingly memorable shape and offers inviting comfort: its wide, gently inclined backrest and a deep seat that tilts backwards at an angle of 5.5 degrees are optimally designed for a relaxing seated position. There is also an optional seat cushion, which can be tied to the back legs to make the chair even more comfortable.
The relationship with the 118 chair family is evident in both the design principle and several finer details: the shape of the chair legs, for example, which are rounded at the back and have gentle edges at the front, echoes the characteristic horseshoe shape of the seat base. A bentwood frame encloses the seat of the 119, in the same ways as all the models in the 118 collection, and each is available in a canework or a moulded plywood seat. The chair comes in the same stain colours and high-gloss lacquers as in the 118 collection.
Upward mobility: Bauhaus era classics adapted for today
For over 100 years, classic chairs from the Bauhaus era by luminaries such as Mart Stam and Marcel Breuer have been part of the Thonet collection and their enduring appeal arises not only from their refined and minimal elegance, but also their natural comfort.
Yet times change, as do our living/working needs, and Thonet is ever responsive. One of the key adaptations of recent years has been the addition of easy mobility – and raised height – to chairs such as the famous S 64, which now comes in an ‘Atelier’ version with a pedestal and castors, plus a bar stool version. These – and other icons that have undergone contemporary evolution while maintaining their characteristic essence – will also be part of the display at CDW 2022.
Also on show:
As ever, a stand under the Thonet banner will pay homage not only to the benchmark pieces that helped to revolutionise the furniture industry, but also more recent and highly popular creations inspired by the ‘soul’ of such foundational designs. Perennial favourites such as the bentwood chairs 214, 209 and the more recent 404, plus tubular steel classics such as the S 533 and the S 34, together with various tables and desks designed to work beautifully and usefully within this renowned portfolio, will also take their places at CDW 2022.
