The Carvel Chair: Modern Design Inspired by Traditional Craft

Drawing from Irish tradition, shipwright Mathew O’Malley and architect Andrew Clancy have re-imagined the fading art form of boat construction in an innovative piece of furniture. O’Malley has brought forth a highly specialized background in shipbuilding from Ireland’s West Coast to aid in the creation of this work for Clancy’s Irish brand, Déanta. After two long years of collaborative research and development, the two combined their knowledge to build the Carvel chair, a unique design reminiscent of the Bauhaus. The sleek and abstract form plays homage to the hull of a ship while maintaining a simplicity that makes for a modern and versatile piece.
European Larch, a wood traditionally used in boat building, forms the seat’s hand-shaped planks. The careful design allows the timber shell to remain “active” within its supportive phosphatized steel base, shifting and flexing in accordance with the movements of the sitter. The Carvel Chair truly lives in its environment; the wooden planks expand and contract depending on the humidity of its home. This makes for a piece that is both incredibly strong and comfortable.
As the process of making each chair takes an excruciating amount of time and attention to detail, The Carvel Chair (which is exclusive to Irish online design store Makers & Brothers) will have an extremely limited production rate of about five per year.