There are things and elements in nature that immediately make us comfortable and at ease, even just by thinking about them. A blowing breeze, the gentle pitter-patter of rain, and the rocking motion of waves are just some of the most popular examples that are easily replicated inside houses these days. Controlled fans can make you feel like a breeze is flowing through your room, while meditation music often includes sounds of rain or rivers. Recreating waves might be a bit harder, but a properly designed rocking chair could actually fit the bill. This lounge chair does, in fact, try to deliver that soothing experience, but its ties to the sea go beyond its rocking motion.
Designer: Guilherme Wentz
From the front, the chair looks pretty normal, albeit a little low and short. Walk around it just a bit, however, reveals its true form, one that is quite unique even among rocking chairs. The chair’s name clearly spells out its form and function. Canoa is Portuguese for “canoe,” and its resemblance to the water vessel is clear, even if it requires stretching the imagination a bit. The curved bottom of the chair resembles the hull of a boat, and its elongated body further reinforces that imagery. While most lounge chairs use warm tones and hues to convey feelings of comfort, Canoa employs a darker shade of blue with specks of white to represent its maritime inspiration.
The shape of the chair isn’t just for the sake of appearances, though. Low and close to the ground, the Canoa gives the feeling of almost lying down on a floater, gently swayed by rhythmic waves of the sea. Its height also gives it a bit of firmness and stability even as it rocks to and fro. It helps keep a person’s feet close to the ground as well, allowing them to come and go with ease. It would probably be easy to fall asleep on the chair with its rocking motions, which is the entire point of the design anyway.
Almost like a modern boat as well, the chair uses a mixture of aluminum and wood to form its skeleton. Foam and elastic straps provide comfortable support for your body, while aluminum and felt finishing on the bottom protect the fabric on the bottom from friction against the floor. That fabric, however, is no simple covering and gives something back to the sea that inspired this striking piece of furniture.
Beyond form and function, the Canoa also has a soul that calls out to the sea. Although made from steel and wool on the inside, the upholstery on the outside is made from WENTZ’s WE-KNIT mesh fabric. This particular material is made from 100% recycled PET bottles, particularly PET bottles that pollute our oceans. Every Canoa, then, isn’t just a beautiful and functional rocking chair but also a statement in support of sustainable practices and environmental awareness. In that sense, the lounge chair is truly born from the sea and does its fair share of saving it.
