Stealing the show at CDW, the ‘Barricane’, designed by British designer Magnus Long for Morgan, is an ergonomic dining chair that marries traditional craftsmanship with modern design sensibilities…
Unveiled during Clerkenwell Design Week, the ‘Barricane’ dining chair embodies the Morgan commitment to both heritage and innovation. Available as both an armchair and a side chair, this timber-framed design boasts a rounded, caned backrest that contrasts the formality of the horizontal and vertical lines of the chair’s frame when viewed from the front and back. The upholstered seat cushion features a subtle waterfall detail, adding a touch of softness to the chair’s front edge. The intricate weave pattern of the cane allows light to permeate through, illuminating the silhouette of the arm as it traverses the back of the chair with a distinct horizontal line.
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- Image credit: Philip Vile
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- Image credit: Philip Vile
The choice of cane was functional and sustainable as well as stylistic. “Unlike synthetic mesh, popular since the 90s in the contract furniture market, caning offers a natural, biodegradable alternative that is ergonomic and which offers equal levels of comfort,” commented designer Magnus Long. ” It was originally used as a way to reduce the weight of heavy, solid wooden chairs, but its properties offer so much more.”
At Morgan’s factory in Hampshire, the caning station has been part of its production line since the company launched the Goodwood collection and now accommodates for three additional ranges – Kaya, Oslo and now Barricane. The department is overseen by a skilled artisan who has been with the company since
2015.
Image credit: Philip Vile
Long was also particularly interested in working with timber, drawing attention to the detail and quality that underpins Morgan’s entire furniture collection. “As soon as you walk into the factory, you see how technical and precise it is, 2 said Long. “There are few companies working to this level of wood production in the UK, capable of producing such complex curves, and I wanted to push this technical excellence whilst embracing the craft and tradition of caning. It’s the combination of those two ambitions that made the project so exciting for me from the outset.”
Image credit: Phillip Vile
Commenting on the partnership, Long stated: “There is plenty of design, technical and engineering talent in the brand, so ‘Barricane’ really was a project of genuine collaboration where you trust the people you are designing with. Alongside refining its ‘look’ we’ve thought about repairability, comfort, tactility and durability. It’s primarily designed for the contract market so finding the balance between delicate and durable has been imperative.”
“We have enjoyed developing the ‘Barricane’ chairs with Magnus,” added Katerina Zachariades, Creative Director at Morgan. “It has been an interesting project in combining CNC machinery processes and hand-crafted cane finishing. The result offers a beautifully detailed chair that can still be produced in high volumes.”
‘Barricane’ is available in a range of timbers and finishes and is available as an armchair and side chair.
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Main image credit: Morgan
