Knoll Jonathan Olivares Aluminum Stacking Chair
Jonathan Olivares approached the initial product design phase for this outdoor chair with an objective, and not surprisingly taxonomic survey of the category: which ones were too heavy; which were too light; how comfortable were they; how were they produced; and of course, how were they to interact with, to sit with, to live with.
After a series of experiments with hydro-forming, stamping, and other means of manipulating metal, Olivares and team posed a hypothesis: what if we could cast this chair in a single piece of material — not only for ergonomic comfort, but to reduce cost and make the chair as thin as feasible. Ultimately it was the aluminum supplier that suggested this might work.
The final chair is composed of a die-cast aluminum body-contoured shell and extruded aluminum legs; plastic connections tie the pieces together and allow the chairs to stack neatly without scratching. The entire form is powder coated with a durable matte finish.
The Olivares chair brings a refined, sculptural presence to indoor and outdoor environments alike. The gracefully contoured form is carefully shaped to offer maximum comfort and the die cast aluminum shell is available in a palette of bright, contemporary colours.
MEASUREMENTS:
- Height: 81.2 cm / 32 inch
- Width: 56.6 cm / 22.3 inch
- Depth: 53.8 cm / 21.2 inch
- Seat Height: 44.4 cm / 17.5 inch
MATERIALS:
- Die-Cast Aluminum with Integrated Leg Tenons.
HELPFUL NOTES:
- Outdoor use: With proper preventative maintenance, the Olivares chair is appropriate for outdoor environments.
- Shell is constructed of die-cast aluminum with outdoor powder coat paint.
- Chairs stack 6 high on the floor and 10 high on optional dolly.
- Stacking bumper distributes the chair’s weight over a wide area.
- Designer’s signature and the KnollStudio logo are located under the seat.
- Nylon glides included.
- Greenguard Indoor Air Quality Certified®
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Jonathan Olivares
England, 1981
Jonathan Olivares was born in Boston in 1981 and graduated from Pratt Institute. In 2006 he established Jonathan Olivares Design Research (JODR), an office based in Los Angeles that works in the fields of industrial, spatial and communication design. The office employs a team of two designers and one writer, and collaborates with graphic designers, digital media developers, researchers, architects and filmmakers on a project-by-project basis.
Clients of the office include Knoll, Nike and Vitra. Recent projects include the exhibition Source Material, curated with Jasper Morrison and Marco Velardi (2014); the website A View on Natural Motion, for Nike (2014); the Olivares Aluminum Chair, for Knoll (2012); and the book A Taxonomy of Office Chairs, published by Phaidon Press (2011). The office's work has been published internationally, granted several design awards—including Italy’s Compasso d'Oro—and supported by the Graham Foundation for Advanced Studies in the Fine Arts through two grants.
Olivares's work engages a legacy of form and technology, and asks to be used rather than observed. The quarterly art and culture magazine Kaleidoscope wrote of him: “Aesthetically, his works seldom resort to fanfare, privileging use-value and tenderness over showmanship. His slow-and-steady style, combined with his personal resolve, produces humble results worth looking out for.” In her review of A Taxonomy of Office Chairs, published in the International Herald Tribune, the design critic Alice Rawsthorn wrote: "You'll never look at an office chair in quite the same way again."
Boasting an extensive portfolio of products ranging from office work systems and residential mid-century modern classics, to textiles and accessories, Knoll is a leader of modern and sustainable design. Iconic designs from classic designers such as Harry Bertoia, Eero Saarinen, Warren Platner, Isamu Noguchi and Florence Knoll herself make up a large component of Knoll's collection, along with innovative contemporary pieces. Knoll's products can be found in private residences and major art museums alike, including 40 products in the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art in New York.
Founded in 1938, Knoll's reputation for design integrity has a long and decorated history under the guiding principle: "good design is good business." Knoll invests in extensive research, field studies, customer collaborations, and partners with experts from the fields of architecture, organizational behavior, technology and business management to ensure that its products adapt and respond to the evolving needs of their customers. Environmental needs and requirements are not overlooked by the design house either. In fact, Knoll is also considered a leader in production practices that reduce waste, conserve natural resources and protect the biosphere.
Knoll has a strong international presence in the design world - headquartered in Pennsylvania, USA with showrooms across North America, Europe and represented by dealers throughout Latin America and Asia.
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