Page 4 - Australian Wood Review December 2022

TABLES, CHAIRS & DESKS: TOP 20
WINNER: JESS HUMPSTON
1. Ch-air, white ash, monofilament
‘Ch-air is an exploration in visual and structural lightness allowing for unobstructed views of
a vista/table beyond. The form is inspired by traditional stick chairs with the typical solid timber seat subtracted from the structure. Its strength comes from the triangulation of router- formed dowel elements, timber selection and
a hand woven monofilament seat kept in place with fluted detailing.’ Photos: Greg Piper
WHAT THE JUDGES SAID
This for me is the best piece in all the categories I have judged, it shows real visual maturity. It’s innovative but not gimmicky. The whole design comes together, and the chosen materials offer a stunning contrast. The mixture of design, art and furniture could not be more explored than
in this piece. Modern, fresh, original, unique, contemporary, stunning. Marc Fish
I think this chair is beautiful to look at, and I would love to sit on it someday! It has good precedent in its similarities with Wharton Esherick’s Hammer Handle Chair, and shares a similar straightforwardness and lightness of structure. The airiness of the monofilament is very beautiful – ethereal and almost magical. Laura Mays
Windsor chair meets suspension bridge. An elegant solution to an age-old problem, how to give structural integrity to a chair. The timber frame members are in compression, held together by the tension of the monofilament. The chair is a masterclass in minimalism and restraint which still retains traces of its historical roots, nothing that is not needed has been included, and this minimalism causes one to focus on the details, the subtle curve of the top rail, the way the tenons and joined and the grooving to locate the monofilament. Will Matthysen
The seating solution itself is incredibly complex and impeccably executed. A lot of brainpower, trial and error and physically working in three dimensional space went into this piece. There is very little doubt in my mind that any computer program could design this from start to finish. It shows a great relationship to material. William Bayliss
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Australian Wood Review