The Carvel Chair by Designer Andrew Clancy & Maker Matthew O’Malley

The simplest design solutions are often the best. Irish architect and designer Andrew Clancy has proven this true with his newest project titled ‘The Carvel Chair’. Inspired by traditional boat construction that’s predominate along the west coast of Ireland, Andrew has designed a unique chair that’s modern but informed by tradition.

As my own interest is deeply rooted in handicraft, Andrew’s idea of incorporating a local craftsman, shipwright Matthew O’Malley, to turn his ideas and drawings in to a physical object is very admirable. Not only is he giving back to the community, he’s also incorporating the expertise of someone who’s worked with this material closely for many years. The actual shape of the chair reminded me of the Eames Shell chairs, but the wood and metal legs give it an authentic and traditional appearance. Using Irish larch for the material means the chair is lightweight, strong and flexible, along with the simple copper rivets to attach the slats together.

To compliment some photos of his new chair, currently a prototype that should go in to production in 2015, I’ve embedded a short film by Alice Clancy that showcases the processes involved in making the Carvel chair, and importantly the landscape it originates from. Alongside this furniture I’d recommend hopping on over to his website to view his Strand lamp under his company Deanta Design. It will be great to see the progression of this project, not only the design aspect but also the connections and links created with Irish artisans.

deanta.eu

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