Design and
Engineering
Designed by Ronan & Erwan Bouroullec, the Steelwood collection is the combination
between two traditional materials, wood and steel plate, which together create simple
yet elegant and sophisticated design products. The first product produced was the
Steelwood Chair, but today the family includes also stools, tables, a modular book-
case and a coat hanger.
The combination of the two materials is not new, but still innovative. The structural
framework of all Steelwood products is formed by steel plate painted in polyester
powder, while the supporting function is given by wooden elements. The respective
role of the components is visible and results in a coherent overall picture.
The Bouroullecs consider their Steelwood Chair “stable and democratic, universal
and long-lasting.” Its silhouette makes it an easy chair, adaptable to any place from
contract spaces to cosy homes. The use of solid materials and modern technologies
associated with an artisan component lead to a quality and sustainable product.
Thanks to these features, this chair obtained the prestigious Compasso d’Oro Award
in 2011.
The particularity and complexity of this chair is given by the backrest that is a veritable
technical gem: its curved form is achieved through a process involving nine different
phases: the steel plate is perforated and bent, alternating industrial technology with
artisanal attention to detail. The final step is the painting in polyester powder. We can
say that high-tech industrial processes alternate with artisanal ones.
The Steelwood collection combines traditional shapes, solid materials and modern
technology in a contemporary product of exceptional quality.
