CURVE APPEAL

An engineered feat for a seat.

With a sinuous body deserving of double takes, the Essence of Strength Chaise Longue (from US$ 69,000, S$ 91,000) first appears as a stunning if not elegantly bonkers scribble that leapt straight from concept to construction, sidestepping the typical design checkpoints. It also gives the rest of the furniture in the house an inferiority complex. Conceived by industrial designer Kristian Arens, who co-founded the British furniture brand with engineer Clive Johnson, the dynamic piece owes nearly everything to carbon fibre. The company’s use of the lightweight but durable material is in keeping with its design manifesto.

“We aim always to push design and structural tolerances in order to produce pieces of furniture that would simply not be possible using more traditional materials.”

Inspired by Arens’s passion for the sea, the limited-edition chaise longue – finished with hand- stitched leather – resembles rolling waves. Achieving such a fluid shape is a highly technical proposition. “Carbon is the ideal material to do this with,” says Arens. “You can have super-thin profiles but still manage to cantilever the design due to the strength of the carbon. The chaise has to be engineered to deliver exact flex, bounce and rock that results in a movement that feels exceptional.” www.essenceofstrength.co.uk