jasper morrison conceives alfi seating collection for emeco

jasper morrison conceives ‘alfi’ seating collection for emeco
image courtesy of emeco

bringing together a tradition of simplicity and a humble design aesthetic, emeco debuts the ‘alfi’ collection by jasper morrison at salone del mobile 2015. the series comprises simple seating: a chair, counter and bar stools — in two different heights — and a 3-seat bench, all with either low or high backrests. a distinctive elliptical opening in the seat back optimizes portability. the british designer chose a subtle palette of earth tones for the collection, with the units available in brown, green, sand, red and dark gray. in combination with bases crafted from ash wood, the ‘alfi’ family offers a wide visual array of choices.

jasper morrison at emeco’s  fair presentation 
image © adriano mauri / designboom

made of reclaimed materials, engineered for comfort and strength, and designed to be humble and timeless, ‘alfi’ embodies both emeco and morrison’s shared appreciation for the invisible qualities behind simplicity. seats are made of 100% reclaimed post-industrial waste (92.5% polypropylene combined with 7.5% wood fiber), bases are made of responsibly harvested, locally sourced wood and crafted by amish craftsmen. cast iron integrates the seat and frame in the bench variation, thus adding stability and strength to the finished product.

jasper morrison shows us the underside of the shell. made from minimal amounts of material, its strength is granted by reinforced parts where the back is linked to the seat. subtle mountains of solid material protrude at four parts, where screws are fastened, creating no visual defects on the seat surface.
image © designboom

‘alfi is a highly comfortable, well made chair for cafés, bistros, restaurants, kitchens, schools, libraries, waiting rooms and wherever else an impression of relaxed uniformity combined with visual and physical comfort is needed’ morrison describes. ‘it was inspired by the woven cane brasserie chairs you see out everywhere on parisian sidewalks which have rounded backs and flat seats. the emeco wood filled reclaimed polypropylene seat combines beautifully with the ash wooden leg structures, providing a rich play of materials and finishes. it’s one of the most comfortable chairs I have designed.’

chairs and 3-person benches 
image © designboom

the collection with chair and stools
image courtesy of emeco

the ‘alfi’ bench with low backs in sand color
image courtesy of emeco

bench with high backs in sand color
image courtesy of emeco

chairs in various colors
image courtesy of emeco

high back chair in red
image courtesy of emeco

high back chair in sand colour
image courtesy of emeco

image courtesy of emeco

the ‘alfi’ counter stool with high backs in sand and dark grey
image courtesy of emeco

counter stool with low back in dark grey
image courtesy of emeco

the chair in dark brown, dark grey and red
image © adriano mauri / designboom

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