A part of Time & Style's 2025 Collection, the Wooden Cantilever Chair is a singular creation that erases and rewrites the aesthetic of plywood furniture.

Lightweight, strong, resource maximizing; plywood is a revolutionary material of unquestionable benefit to furniture manufacturing and home construction. It does have an ugly side though. And we aren't talking the adhesive which binds the plies together, which were bad, but are getting better. The ugly side is ugly, un-asethetic. It is the edge. The ply. Its malignant presence marring many otherwise exemplary furniture designs. From the Eames through Yanagi, to Stark, designers have shaped the material into new forms, but almost uniformly within the natural bounds prescribed by its planar nature. No matter how far it is contorted and formed it retains that sliver of evil, the ply, often gap-toothed ... even if the outermost plies have been pinched to a single pursed seam, it is lurking ... even veneered, it is there, the planar specter, stubbornly inorganic.

The genius here is flipping it, taking that sliver and making it the whole, then shaping it till no hint of rectilinearity remains. A pillow mint profile that converts the ersatz growth rings of ply into delicate contour lines describing the form. This must require who-knows how much care and, likely, waste in achieving such consistent beautiful strata, but in our eyes the outcome justifies the expenditure.

From their website: 

"Molded plywood technology makes it possible to create curved shapes that solid wood cannot achieve while keeping the warmth and natural feel of wood. This technology also provides strength and flexibility. We have re-examined this method to explore new ways to express the beauty of wood, leading to the creation of The wooden cantilever chair."

"This chair features a Bauhaus-style cantilever structure, in which the seat is supported by the frame without back legs, creating a floating effect. Molded plywood gives the chair both strength and flexibility, allowing it to bend slightly for a comfortable sitting experience. This natural bending makes the chair gently adapt to the body. To enhance the feel of the wood, we shaped the plywood into an oval form, just like solid wood, resulting in a soft and warm texture. The seat shell, supported by the frame, is made of carefully shaped wooden parts that connect to create a beautiful whole. These elements come together in a single flowing form, making the chair not only comfortable but also visually elegant."

Amen, Brother.

* * * See more of our 2025 Milan Design Week coverage here * * *

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