Ross Annels, Cooroy, Qld

Sprung #2 Anika
Spotted gum
830 x 460 x 600mm

This chair is part of an ongoing investigation into the use of bent timber in contemporary chair forms. This series of chairs exploit the flexibility and resilience of bent timber to provide adventurous ergonomics and sculpturally satisfying forms. I am seeking to evolve new techniques and forms that reflect a local and endemic practice in designing and making furniture.
This chair is made in spotted gum, a timber primarily harvested for structural purposes. Spotted gum is being grown in large quantities in farm forestry plantations in Queensland, but is currently targeted to low value use. The curved forms in the chair are steam bent, and the supporting paired rails and back splats are laminated together with techniglue epoxy. The radii of the two supporting rails result in triangulation to the front rail. The upholstery plate is also used as a structural member providing lateral strength with the rails machine-screwed through to t-nuts in the upholstery plate. The joinery is primarily loose tenons cut with the Festool Domino, used as through-tenons bonded with AV Syntec AV515. The rear splats are reinforced against peeling forces with mechanical connectors into threaded inserts screwed and epoxied into the rails. The chair is finished with multiple coats of Organoil Danish Oil, applied using a wet burnishing technique.
The result creates an innovative sculptural aesthetic as a stand-alone piece. When sat upon, the back splats flex into a more standard chair position while providing additional support and comfort to the user. This Anika series aims to develop high end uses for subtropical small dimension timber using bent components, whilst creating both intrigue and passion in its contemporary form.

Photos: Ross Annels