Already at the beginning of the Orchid Edition project, the design studio AC/AL showed us drawings of a small bench. Their idea was to take advantage of the special properties of rattan when combined with other materials. They imagined a cane structure, all rounded and curved. The caning (as always, in rattan) adds a light, woven touch to the seat. The slender metal stretcher adds a little "twist" when combined with classic rattan frames. It encourages a more contemporary view of rattan furniture and adds texture to the piece.
In designing the form, the duo was inspired by a kind of industrial architecture in the shape of the "tower-platform", such as those that made it possible to extract coal and that can be found in the North of France. A nod to our history and our land! The name "TRAVERSE" reflects both the longitudinal shape of the bench and its desire to withstand the test of time!
Photo : Bernd & Hilla Becher
Traverse rattan bench
Not much has changed since the design studio's first sketches. The seat has been modified, with the addition of reinforced caning and a check pattern in the weave, which add strength in use and original aesthetic appeal. After a few tests with a brass-finish metal, we preferred the play on contrasts obtained by opting for a mat black metal stretcher for this first modern and extremely graphic version.
The TRAVERSE bench combines all the advantages of rattan: the omnipresent curves and the weaving as well as its remarkable lightness and flexibility. As a small occasional seat, which weighs barely three kilos, it is extremely versatile!
Our customers use it in their spa (a very good idea, knowing that rattan particularly appreciates warm, humid atmospheres), in their hallways, at the end of the bed and in lots of other places too. Now it's your turn to decide where to put it (or to move it to, as your home decor evolves!).
Left : Parister hotel, Paris_ Right : TRAVERSE bench and LASSO mirror
"It was the lightness that won me over in the AC/AL studio proposals. Nothing is superfluous, everything is in its right place. The canes are connected by a straightforward series of curves. Combining cane and metal avoids the use of additional rattan, which is often required to make it strong. The TRAVERSE bench is no exception!
A bench is a piece of furniture that can be used in many places in the home. In the hall, as a place to put your bags or for sitting down to take off your shoes. At the end of the bed for extra blankets and books to read. By the fire, as a supplement to the sofa perhaps. It's the kind of piece I love: versatile and mobile.
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