Knoll Studio 2013, polished and pierced frame with copper plated finish, marked to the underside of the seat.

32.5 x 17 x 18 in.

The Washington Skeleton chair is in the permanent collection of the RISD Museum, which encompasses European and American furniture, silver, metalwork, wallpaper, ceramics, glass, and plastics from the medieval period to the present.

In 2010 David Adjaye was invited to collaborate with the renowned design and furniture company, Knoll International, to create a furniture collection, realised over a period of three years. The furniture explores a number of themes – such as monumentality, materiality and history – which are also evident in the practice’s architectural projects. The collaboration was an opportunity to investigate materials, silhouettes, and forms and required an engagement in a fascinating production process with Knoll’s technical team.

The collection includes two cantilevered chairs – the Washington Skin and Washington Skeleton. The primary idea behind the design was to mimic the form of a seated person in elevation, so that the chair almost disappears when in use. The ribbing pattern is then a drawing of the forces required to brace this shape – like an exo-skeleton.

Good estate condition.