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Beetle Dining Chair in 3D Walnut Veneer, upholstered in GUBI Soft Leather Army
A decade since GamFratesi introduced the Beetle Chair to
the world, the studio has reimagined their landmark design
concept in 3D veneer – giving the Beetle a bold new natural
expression and further emphasizing its status as an archetypal
design, open to interpretation in any number of materials.
The veneer edition takes the organic, nature-inspired form
of the original Beetle shell, and adapts it to accommodate
the realities of working with veneer. The result translates the
Beetle’s distinctive curves into a molded wooden shell, giving
the chair a new material aesthetic without compromising the
comfort for which it has become renowned, and expanding
the design’s relevance to even more interior settings.
The shell of this new iteration comprises two separate
pieces. The backrest and seat are connected by internal
spring-steel brackets that are invisible from the outside.
Each piece is 3D-molded using a bending press – a method
of shaping veneer pioneered by mid-century designers.
3D technology enables designers to produce organic shapes
that were once impossible to create. This molding technique
is uniquely able to create the Beetle’s distinct curvature
using veneer, while maximizing its comfort and flexibility.
This required an extensive process of experimentation to
perfect. Transforming the veneer from flat surface to three-
dimensional form also introduces depth and texture to the
material, emphasizing the vertical grain and color of the
wood, and giving the chair a premium appearance and a
natural character.
