
- Seat
- Paris
- France
- 2022
Orria
Patrick Jouin iD / BnF / Mobilier national / Alki
Patrick Jouin iD / BnF / Mobilier national / Alki
The idea was to pick up on the look of the
Recoura tables, in solid wood and linoleum, with clean lines that provide
readers with a comfortable setting while they work. This solid wood chair sits
between tradition – the Oval Room, its furniture and restored woodwork – and
the modernity found in its distinctive silhouette, its soft lines and the use
of 5-axis machining technology in its production. The black leather of the seat
and backrest echo the black linoleum on the Recoura tables, while providing comfortable
support for prolonged use.
The essence of the design is visible in
the armrests. Natural supports for the leather backrest, they curve to extend round
to meet the back legs, thereby creating a girdle that structures the whole.
Structural and aesthetic, this assembly detail also indicates a grab zone for
intuitive use of the chair. These cantilevering armrests provide comfort for
the readers. They also enable cleaning staff to hook the chair easily onto a
tabletop, without having to lift it right up.
As designers, our role is to provide
objects that are of service not only to their users, but also to all those who
interact with them. Orria is an example of this desire to situate an object in
its daily life, in its usage. Every day it will welcome hundreds of readers, but
our proposal had to take into account all its uses, considering not only those
who use it as a seat, but also those who have to lift it every morning and
evening to clean the room.
The expertise of the Mobilier National’s
Atelier de Recherche et Création, the prototyping work carried out, followed by
the full-scale development by the Basque manufacturer Alki, its skill in working
with wood, have enabled us to offer a piece that links the French tradition of joinery
with that of the avant-garde of contemporary craftsmanship.