The asymmetrical Conoid Bench is among the more extravagant designs of Japanese-American architect and furniture designer George Nakashima. It is a piece that combines the vitality of wood as a material with the simple sophistication of Japanese aesthetics. Its protruding seat consists of a solid black walnut board. The contours have been left irregular with knotholes and cracks still visible, making each model a unique copy. The backrest draws on the construction principle of the so-called Windsor chairs made using several slim, wooden spindles. The backrest does not extend along the full length of the seating surface, leaving an empty area that can be used as a shelf. The seat’s profile, meanwhile, is typical of post-war design’s interest in organic forms. Instead of imitating shapes from nature, however, Nakashima simply left it to the natural growth of the tree to define the form of his bench.
George Nakashima’s furniture pieces were produced in his own studio as single copies on demand. He chose to forgo elaborate production methods, an attitude typical for the Studio Furniture movement, which is still active in the United States. Today its focus on natural materials and regional resources seems to place a very contemporary emphasis on sustainability.
Text: Wiebke Lang
