Trinidad Armchair by Nanna Ditzel, 1995

Very rare Trinidad teak dining chairs with arms by Nanna Ditzel for Fredericia Stolefabrik Denmark, circa 1995. The seat cushions in red fabric are in good condition and are easily reupholstered. Marked with label at the bottom of the chairs. When designing the Trinidad Chair Model 3298 in 1993, Danish designer Nanna Ditzel found inspiration in the elaborate fretwork from the Gingerbread Facades that she had seen in the colonial architecture while travelling through Trinidad. Much like the facades, the cut-out fretwork of the chair triggers an interplay of light and shadows, creating a pattern projected into space and a subtle sense of motion. with the Trinidad Chair, instead of eliminating any ornamentation, which was part of the Modernist mantra, Ditzel did the opposite. She kept the ornamentation as the focal point in a distinctive chair that challenged the prevailing design dogma at the time. The cut-outs featured in the curved shell not only function as a decorative element, they also dramatically lighten the visual density of the chair. What’s more, the lightweight design allows for hours of seating comfort, able to suit any setting as well the person who sits in it. The fretwork ensures that the body is always ventilated and the chair is always kept at room temperature. At the same time, it provides excellent acoustics where sound resonance should be reduced. Consequently, the Trinidad Chair has become a popular choice for concert halls and auditoriums, as well as private homes.