fogo island inn furniture conceived by ineke hans

fogo island inn furniture conceived by ineke hans

the province of newfoundland, on the eastern coast of canada is home to ‘fogo island inn‘, a 29-room hotel that blends itself into the rocky terrain of its surroundings. realized by saunders architecture, the accommodations are also accompanied by a series of six artists studios that have also been developed by the firm, adding a touch contemporary architecture to the region which has a dominant fishing industry, and particular building heritage.

the furniture for the outdoor areas and terraces are painted in a red typically seen on local buildings

ineke hans was employed to furnish the interior and exterior of the inn, as well as the general outdoors areas of fogo island. working closely with locals and studying the traditional crafts of east coast canada, the dutch designer has developed three sets of seating pieces which draw their formal and structural aspects from their locale.

view of ineke hans outdoor furniture in the context of ‘fogo island inn’

for the outdoor and terrace areas of ‘fogo island inn’, hans has conceived utilitarian tables, chairs and benches which look like they are made from pallets. their wooden framework is made to withstand the harsh conditions often experienced on the coast,and have been painted in a rich red which is typically found on the exterior of houses of the province.

bench seating for the island’s public space appears as a simple fence structure

the furniture planned for general use throughout the island, takes its design from local infrastructure. hans surveyed simple wooden constructions such as benches, slatted forms, scaffolding and ramps to create simple chair and bench typologies that compliment the existing built environment of fogo.

seat and rocker

the interior of the hotel is furnished by a set of four seating designs by hans that includes a standard and rocking chair, as well as benches. ‘seat’, ‘get your feet up’, ‘long bench’ and ‘rocker’ are painted in colors that are typically seen on the interiors of fogo island houses. these pieces are further enhanced by ‘upholstery’ and cushioning fabricated using local knitting techniques employed for creating mittens that are built-up by wooly wires to give them shape.

‘get your feet up’ long bench

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