The stereotypical traditions of Danish design (minimalism) and Middle Eastern aesthetics (ornamentation) might not seem to be immediate complements, but in the hands of the multi-cultural design collective, Bahraini-Danish, these differences have been unified in an inspiring and unexpected way.
Founded in 2016 by Maitham Almubarak, Batool Alshaikh and Christian Vennerstrøm, Bahraini-Danish takes its name from the long stemming intersections between Bahrain and Denmark in areas such as archeology, architecture and dairy production, over the course of history.
The design studio now unveils a new collaboration with a reimagining of the Vipp 450chair in a trio of new colours, inspired by the Bahraini desert landscape. Named ‘Unearthing’, the limited-edition series features hues derived from shades of clay – a rich dark brown (dark clay), a vibrant terracotta (burnt clay) and a pale beige tone (sand clay). The aluminum chair is also infused with oriental brushstrokes, a subtle nod to the heritage of the Middle Eastern regions.
Bahraini-Danish interpretation of Vipp's 451 chair in three colours
‘We didn’t want to make a new aluminium chair,’ states Vipp’s CEO Kasper Egelund. ‘Instead we found it inspiring and fun to collaborate with the talented people of Bahraini-Danish on the existing Vipp chair. With their background, they have an edge and aesthetic understanding that we find both challenging and exciting.
‘Behind the outcome of our collaboration lie hours of talk about design, production, process and primarily, colours,’ he continues. ‘Meticulous browsing of leather and powder-coated paint and hour-long dialogues on colours have characterized this collaboration and opened new horizons for Vipp.’
Christian Vennerstrøm of Bahraini-Danish adds, ‘We are not changing the design of the Vipp chair or its silhouette, instead we have unearthed a new chair within the existing one [by] adding a colour scheme stemming from our Bahraini roots.’ Available in an edition of seven per shade, each chair has been carefully assembled, painted and upholstered in Denmark.
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Bahraini-Danish co-founder Christian Vennerstrøm with a detail of the Vipp 451 chair
Available in three colours (pictured here: sand clay), the aluminum chair is also infused with oriental brushstrokes, a subtle nod to the Middle Eastern heritage
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