Robert Coleby, The Teardrop Chair (FURNITURE 2025)

Photos:

Robert Coleby

Video tour:

Various videos can be seen on my Instagram page @shapefurniture_

Country

Antigua and Barbuda

The brief for the chair was it needed to be large and strong enough to hold two people, while also being able to hang securely from a davit (a carbon fiber arm that locks into the deck) on the clients yacht. At the same time, it had to be designed so that it could be stowed away neatly in the boat's lazarette when not in use. I finalised the design and chose laminated teak as the primary material, ensuring the chair would be exceptionally strong and durable enough to withstand the marine environment. The structure is made up of 96 vertical battens (each comprised of seven laminates held together using epoxy), supported by a series of compound curved hoops and a complex 'crown' section that ties the entire form together. The chair features a base constructed from a carbon fiber sandwich with a honeycomb core, providing both strength and lightness. For practicality, the entire structure can be broken down into three interlocking pieces, with the base itself folding into two parts. This nesting system allows everything to pack away neatly for stowage when not in use. The Teardrop Chair was by far the most challenging and enjoyable project I have ever undertaken.

Images have been resized for web display, which may cause some loss of image quality. Note: Original high-resolution images are used for judging.