zanat + studioilse collaborate in hand-carved touch collection

designed in collaboration by zanat and studioilse, ‘touch’ is a collection of hand-carved furniture and accessories composed of benches, trays, and a lamp table. the pieces aim to engage our instinctive impulse to feel something, and reflect our hunger for more tactile surroundings in the digital age. completely made in bosnia herzegovina, the carvings on the ‘touch’ benches take up to two man-days to execute—they are carved without any drawings or plans, making each product unique.

‘touch’ collection was presented in paris during maison et objet as part of studioilse’s designer’s studio.

image by yannick labrousse

as soon as the collaborators — zanat and studioilse — agreed on the concept and basic idea, a process of experimentation began; different craving patterns were tried in parallel with the design of the bench. the patterns were more-or-less new to zanat’s craftsmen; these ones needed to stand out because of their touch sensation. the result is a bench with a surface that is soft, beautiful and tactile.

image by yannick labrousse

the ‘touch’ collection is available in different variations and sizes in solid wood manufactured in zanat’s factory. the benches can be also found with cast bronze legs, made possible by the partnership with tulza, a small metal casting company also in bosnia. with a busy social agenda, zanat is committed to its ongoing mission to develop partnerships that promote craft-oriented design while generating jobs in countries that have a 26% unemployment rate.

image by yannick labrousse

‘studioilse focuses on designing products and interiors that support human behavior. as mainly a production company, zanat’s aim is to make products that people will love and enjoy for a long time, but also to make them in a way that contributes to sustainable socio-economic development and the preservation of our cultural heritage. this, this partnership with studioilse felt very natural to us before it even started.’ says orhan niksic.

image by almin zrno

image by almin zrno

image by almin zrno

image by almin zrno

image by almin zrno

image by almin zrno

image by almin zrno

image by almin zrno

image by almin zrno