Steelwood Armchair

Designed by Ronan & Erwan Bouroullec, the Steelwood collection is the combination between two traditional materials, wood and steel plate, which together create simple yet elegant and sophisticated design products. The first product produced was the Steelwood Chair, but today the family includes also stools, tables, a modular bookcase and a coat hanger. The combination of the two materials is not new, but still innovative. The structural framework of all Steelwood products is formed by steel plate painted in polyester powder, while the supporting function is given by wooden elements. The respective role of the components is visible and results in a coherent overall picture.

The Bouroullecs consider their Steelwood Chair stable and democratic, universal and long-lasting. Its silhouette makes it an easy chair, adaptable to any place from contract spaces to cosy homes. The use of solid materials and modern technologies associated with an artisan component lead to a quality and sustainable product. Thanks to these features, this chair obtained the prestigious Compasso d'Oro Award in 2011.

The particularity and complexity of this chair is given by the backrest that is a veritable technical gem: its curved form is achieved through a process involving nine different phases: the steel plate is perforated and bent, alternating industrial technology with artisanal attention to detail. The final step is the painting in polyester powder. We can say that high-tech industrial processes alternate with artisanal ones. The Steelwood collection combines traditional shapes, solid materials and modern technology in a contemporary product of exceptional quality.