george geara's handcrafted ECHELLE chairs expand like a ladder

george geara at we design beirut

Lebanese designer George Geara made headlines at We Design Beirut’s inaugural event with his latest handrafted collection of chairs, QUARTET. Showcased between May 23rd and May 26th, 2024, as part of a major exhibition in Beirut’s historical Villa Audi, the series combines four ECHELLE chairs, sculpted as sleek wooden frames. The final impression is a timeless, and equally whimsical, set of furniture that gently pair classic aspects of Levantine craft with modern materials, state-of-the-art techniques, and generously bold colors.

ECHELLE collection at Villa Audi | image © Walid Rashid

ECHELLE chairs blend classic design with modern materials

Described as a dialogue of materials, trends, and craftsmanship, the ECHELLE chairs by George Geara (see more here) features an eye-catching backrest striped with his signature motif. Each backrest expands like a ladder and is built piece by piece to embrace the human body. Geara developed every chair variation by working closely with a Lebanese carpenter, who sculpted the wooden frames A laser-cut metal skeleton was then dressed into the hand-carved piece, adding a modern touch to the handcrafted work.

image © Walid Rashid

Complementing the wooden and metal layers are upholstered and curved seats spanning different color tones: red, yellow, light gray, and electric blue. George Geara then coated each ECHELLE chair in a matching or complementary hue, including black and white. Beyond the choice of colors, the designer experimented with ergonomic details, like adding or omitting armrests. ‘Together, they evolve ergonomically, creating a bold and modern look that contrasts beautifully,’ he comments. The QUARTET collection at Villa Audi was curated by Bablyon – The Agency and is part of George Geara’s AMALGAM collection, introduced during Edit Napoli and Dubai Design Week.

designing each piece with an elongated backrest | image courtesy George Geara

‘For a long time, furniture production has relied heavily on manual processes, but in today’s world and responding to the high demand of society, the machinery became a handful tool for makers. We feel a sense of responsibility to keep our artisans motivated and echoing their skills through our new creations.  I n this collection we are emphasizing the importance of the two sides (Artisans\Machinery) and how they meet and complete each other in creating a new product,’ concludes Geara.

laser cut metal skeleton detail | image courtesy George Geara