roughed up collection by rabih hage

‘for sail’ nikki sofa image © designboom

rabih hage has decided to revisit pieces from his 2005 furniture collection to reveal a new beauty in them. ‘roughed up: rabih hage designs revisited’ is a response to the pressure placed on contemporary designers to continuously produce something ‘new’. the pre-existing pieces have been reworked and ‘roughed-up’, to reveal new beauty in them. ‘roughed up’ is a celebration of imperfection, raw materials and the process of construction.

‘for sail’ nikki sofa image © designboom

here, rabih hage has re-upholstered his nikki sofa with a used and torn sail from sail makers ratsey & lapthorn. the particular sail which was used for this sofa comes from a local ship in cowes, uk that was torn during a storm. by utilizing this sail to re-invent his sofa, hage is attempting to capture the action and adventure of ratsey & lapthorn.

detail image © designboom

‘comfortable relations’ chinese chair image © designboom

this ming-style chair has been roughed up with the addition of the nails and changes to its wood finish. ‘comfortable relations’ is a comment on our society’s habit of relying on preconceived notions. while the chair might look more like a torture device more than a piece of seating, it’s actually a comfortable piece to sit on.

profile of the nails image © designboom

‘scene from within’ showcases the class tonneau armchair’s inner beauty. hage has deconstructed the chair, revealing its internal components and craftsmanship. it has been ripped apart, giving viewers a look at the history of the object, while the

london design week 09 (49)