ORBIT

At first glance, Orbit appears to be a familiar Scandinavian plywood chair. Upon closer inspection, the chair reveals a graceful, modern form. The profile is much thinner and sleeker; the chair more shapely than any of its many predecessors. True to all his creations, Lovegrove extends the boundaries of technology, craftsmanship and innovation to create Orbit. The result is a new generation of the plywood chair that displays a leaf-like thinness and true three-dimensional quality formerly possible only when designing in plastics. Over the past two years, Bernhardt Design and Lovegrove have worked closely with the leading wood technology authorities in Europe, pushing the plywood process to the limits of physical and aesthetic lightness. Orbit's anatomical surface was developed using one of today's most advanced computer systems, yet it was through a constant cycle of experimentation and manual prototyping that the techniques were perfected. The wood shell has the elegant appearance of a floating petal with a rigid structural spine which feathers outward toward thin and delicate edges. Ultimately, this quality was achieved by engineering and sculpting the shell's topography, both internally and externally. Strength is derived from the central core, which provides support and essential flex in the back. The spine curves beneath the chair, creating an elevated structural mounting point that enables the seat to appear as if it were floating. Orbit is available in ash or zebrawood veneer with a variety of painted or natural wood finishes. The chair features a chrome base and is stackable in groups up to ten. A soft elastomeric pad conceals the base connection and protects the chair from damage when it is stacked. Orbit represents a major leap forward in the evolution of the iconic plywood stacking chair.