Dining chair
Zene

Dining chair for John G Williams

Zene dining chair takes its inspiration from indigenous timber and Danish Modern design. The light ash frames are simple and robust and support hardwood seats and backrests that appear to float on the frame. The curved forms of the seat/backrest are not formed by bending the wood but rather by joining and shaping solid hardwood timber. As a series the light ash frames provide cohesion, and different local materials selected for the seat/backrests generate interest and relevance.

John G Williams 2018 Professional Iron Press Kit № 58495

Download Press Kit № 58495

Download Press Kit № 58495 Dining chair for John G Williams by John G Williams to access high-res images, essential texts, translations, and exclusive interviews—all in one.


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Zene by John G Williams
Zene by John G Williams

Download 1800 Pixels JPEG Image.

Utilize this 1800-pixel image at 300 DPI for sharp, detailed prints up to 6 inches. When your narrative requires larger images, deploying it at 150 DPI allows for clear, impactful visuals up to 12 inches. Accredited press members can download high-res images free of watermarks. Alternatively, low-res images are instantly available. Acknowledgements for photographs are in the Image Credits Section.

Dining chair by John G Williams
Dining chair by John G Williams

Download 1800 Pixels JPEG Image.

Utilize this 1800-pixel image at 300 DPI for sharp, detailed prints up to 6 inches. When your narrative requires larger images, deploying it at 150 DPI allows for clear, impactful visuals up to 12 inches. Press pass? Download high-res, watermark-free images. Or, get immediate access to low-res images without accreditation. Image attributions can be found in the Image Credits Section.

John G Williams Zene
John G Williams Zene

Download 1800 Pixels JPEG Image.

With an 1800-pixel resolution, create stunning prints up to 6 inches at 300 DPI, or expand your storytelling to 12 inches with a clear outcome at 150 DPI. Accredited press members can download high-res images free of watermarks. Alternatively, low-res images are instantly available. Photo credits are listed in the Image Credits Section.

John G Williams Dining chair
John G Williams Dining chair

Download 1800 Pixels JPEG Image.

Utilize this 1800-pixel image at 300 DPI for sharp, detailed prints up to 6 inches. When your narrative requires larger images, deploying it at 150 DPI allows for clear, impactful visuals up to 12 inches. Unlock high-res, watermark-free images with press accreditation, or instantly download a low-res version today. Photo credits are listed in the Image Credits Section.

John G Williams Designer Portrait Photo
John G Williams Designer Portrait Photo

Download 1800 Pixels JPEG Image.

With an 1800-pixel resolution, create stunning prints up to 6 inches at 300 DPI, or expand your storytelling to 12 inches with a clear outcome at 150 DPI. Press pass? Download high-res, watermark-free images. Or, get immediate access to low-res images without accreditation. Photo credits are listed in the Image Credits Section.

John G WilliamsBrand Logo
John G WilliamsBrand Logo

Download 1800 Pixels JPEG Image.

Leverage the high resolution of this 1800-pixel image for detailed, vibrant prints. At 300 DPI, it's ideal for up to 6 inches; at 150 DPI, it scales beautifully to 12 inches. Press credentials grant access to download high-res, watermark-free images. Alternatively, download a low-res version instantly. Acknowledgements for photographs are in the Image Credits Section.

Design Interviews
John G Williams Interview

Complimentary Journalist Resource: Obtain an interview with John G Williams, approximately 1181 words, to enrich your articles. Free download available now. Access John G Williams Interview Now.


Press Kit
Zene Dining chair Media Articles

Leverage our ready-to-publish articles on Zene, offered in a range of languages: English.


Unique Properties

This series of dining chairs have American ash frames and showcase different hardwood timbers for the seat/backrest combinations. The chairs draw on the ancient art of 'coopering' or how oak barrels are made for fermentation purposes. The curved forms of the seat/backrest are not formed by bending but rather by joining and shaping solid hardwood timber. The chair strives to be very strong and beautiful. In short: Zene - elegant, comfortable and dependable.

Tags

zene, dining chair, south africa, hardwood, curved, cooper, danish modern, minimalist

Production Technology

The Zene design evolved over a number of years. The starting point was probably a fascination with the art of coopering and how this has been applied to furniture design. Building the segmented seat and backrests took some practice to perfect, as did the development of custom modifications to standard workshop tools to shape and finish the smoothly shaped forms.

Design Challenge

Building the coopered seat/backrests was challenging as it required careful attention to the compression forces on the material and how best to achieve high compression without causing the seats to 'implode'. Shaping the rough seats into finely finished and smooth curves required considerable re-working of the custom tooling to achieve the desired results

Project Duration

The first prototype was conceived in Johannesburg in 2007. It was slowly refined as background task over 10 years, and the first set of 6 chairs was produced in 2017

Operation Flow

Zene is designed mainly for use at the dining table and is designed for extended dining comfort.

Research

Danish modern designs were studied and absorbed to consider different ways of rendering the frame, and its relationship to the seat, and to think through the spatial relationship of the seat to the backrest. Web search was used to think about typical dimensions for the seat but in the end prototyping proved most fun.

Inspiration

The beauty grain and colour of indigenous African timber was a key aesthetic inspiration for this project. The more technical inspiration for the overall work, including the frame design came from iconic designers such as Hans J Wegner (for example the CH20 Elbow Chair). The coopering technique was inspired by Ontario furniture designer Adrian Ferrazzutti.

Image Credits

all images by the designer: John G Williams

Project Overview

Zene Dining chair has been a Iron winner in the Furniture Design award category in the year 2017 organized by the prestigious A' Design Award & Competition. The Iron A' Design Award is awarded to good designs that meet the rigorous professional and industrial standards set by the A' Design Awards. This recognition is reserved for works that demonstrate a solid understanding of design principles and show creativity within their execution. Recipients of the Iron A' Design Award are acknowledged for their practical innovations and contributions to their respective fields, providing solutions that improve quality of life and foster positive change. These designs are a testament to the skill and dedication of their creators, showcasing their ability to address real-world challenges through thoughtful design.

John G Williams Designer Portrait Photo Award Logo
Iron Recognition

John G Williams was recognized with the coveted Iron A' Design Award in 2018, a testament to excellence of their work Zene Dining chair.

John G Williams Designer Portrait Photo
John G Williams Newsroom

Explore John G Williams Newsroom to uncover award-winning design projects and more.

You are currently viewing Media Showcase № 58495. Discover everything John G Williams has to offer in their newsroom, from award-winning projects to high-res media and valuable resources. This is Press Kit / Media Showcase 58495 featuring the Zene. For more in-depth materials, see Newsroom 194456.

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