Beke: A Peaceful and Connected Dining Chair

Designing for Comfort and Connection

The Beke dining chair is a unique piece that stands out from other designs in its category. It incorporates innovative components that contribute to its strength and unique features. The seat is constructed from individually shaped profiles, resulting in a solid hardwood architectural form. The rear legs are steam bent and laminated for long-term dimensional stability. The rails are carefully profiled to enhance the chair's lightness and sense of peace, while also supporting the cantilevered seat.

Utilizing various techniques and technologies, the Beke dining chair is meticulously crafted. The seat is made from custom-profiled hardwood, such as walnut, with over twenty individually shaped profiles. The rough form is then finished using purpose-modified sanding tools to achieve the final shape. The rear legs are steam bent in two pieces, cooled, stabilized, and laminated to create the graceful leg forms. The backrest is constructed using the ancient art of coopering, where curved forms are created by gluing together staves cut at a slight angle. The rails incorporate forms inspired by local Cape Dutch architecture, achieved by trimming them to custom templates.

With dimensions of 880mm high, 520mm wide, and 600mm deep, the Beke dining chair offers a comfortable seating experience. The seat size in plan is 520mm wide and 440mm deep, while the backrest size in elevation is 540mm wide and 200mm high. The chair has a seat height of 460mm and a raked back at 5 degrees, with the backrest height from the floor at 825mm and a raked back at 18 degrees. Despite its solid construction, the chair weighs only 5.5kg, making it easy to move around.

The Beke dining chair is not only aesthetically pleasing but also functional. It provides extended comfort for both dining and other activities. The chair's well-balanced design allows for easy lifting, with a hand-shaped indent at the bottom edge of the backrest serving as a natural grip.

John G Williams began working on the Beke design in March 2018 and completed it in May of the same year. The design process involved careful research, including the analysis of the Carl Hansen library of designs, the study of previous designs, and the exploration of various architectural forms. Overcoming creative and technical challenges, Williams focused on achieving a clean, simple, and graceful end result.

The Beke dining chair has received recognition for its exceptional design. It was awarded the Iron A' Design Award in 2019, which honors well-designed, practical, and innovative creations that meet professional and industrial requirements. This prestigious award acknowledges the chair's integration of industry best practices, competent technical characteristics, and contribution to a better world.

With its blend of comfort, elegance, and connection, the Beke dining chair is a testament to the designer's commitment to creating exceptional pieces that enhance the dining experience.