The Chairity Project
2016 marks the third edition of Cult’s annual ‘Chairity Project’. In previous years, we have invited creatives to bravely reinterpret an iconic design, including the CH33 (1957) by Hans Wegner for Carl Hansen & Son and the Series 7 (1955) by Arne Jacobsen for Republic of Fritz Hansen. This year, we decided to shake things up by inviting our creatives to reinterpret what we see as a ‘future classic’; the Officina chair designed by Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec for Magis just two years ago, in 2014. To me this chair not only represents the icon of tomorrow, but is a fantastic emblem for the Magis brand; a brand that in just 40-short years has both captivated and commanded the respect of the creative community around the world. Renowned for its sophisticated, energetic and surprising works of design, Magis continually offers products that showcase masterful industrial techniques with a playful and quirky edge. For ‘Chairity Project 2016’, we invite 16 creatives of all disciplines – from architecture and photography, to graphic design and jewellery – to take on the unique challenge of reinterpreting the Officina chair. We are happy to welcome back 10 creatives that have participated in previous years, along with six new contributors.
Richard Munao Founder & Managing Director, Cult
The program and online auction runs for two weeks, from 17 November to 27 November, alongside a travelling exhibition in our Sydney and Melbourne showrooms. During this period, we hope to raise significant funds for the 16 charities nominated by the creatives, and support a wide range of causes from depression to wildlife conservation and cancer research. Extending our reach beyond our core design community has been such a rewarding experience for Cult; the support and enthusiasm that each creative and partner has brought to this project is very admirable and humbling. We simply could not have achieved this project without their generous support – a big thank you to all. I am incredibly thrilled that Cult together with our partner Magis could facilitate this unique and exciting event.
Happy Bidding! galabid.com/chairity2016 #chairityproject2016
Magis
Alberto Perazza Managing Director, Magis
The Officina collection was first introduced in 2014, after an investigation into the possibility of establishing a new creative language while working with the ancient fabrication process of iron forging. Since the very early concept stage, we immediately thought that Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec were the ideal designers to embark on this challenge. The collection started with tables and has expanded with chairs and stools. It now also includes various accessories.
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This year Magis is celebrating its 40th anniversary. Its story is above all a story of people sharing their passion, dedication and challenges together with their collaborators and worldwide partners. Thank you Cult for pioneering this wonderful ‘Chairity’ project and for connecting us to such an amazing team of artists and designers. We are very happy to see how each of these 16 Officina chairs have been reimagined into unique pieces of art.
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Ronan & Erwan Bouroullec Designers of the Officina Chair
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Ronan & Erwan Bouroullec Ronan (born 1971) and Erwan Bouroullec (born 1976) are brothers and designers based in Paris. They have been working together for close to fifteen years; bonded by diligence and challenged by their distinct personalities. In 1997, they were spotted by Cappellini, giving them their first industrial design project. Since then, they have realised a wide range of products - from furniture to jewellery, lighting to interiors - for leading companies such as Magis, Vitra, Hay, Kvadrat and Samsung.
Over the years, the Bouroullecs have carved out a trademark aesthetic that is equally distilled, minimal, elegant, refined and fresh. This celebrated design philosophy is more evident than ever in the pieces the Bouroullecs have designed for Magis, from the Steelwood series in 2008 to the Officina series in 2014. Taking a closer look at the design process behind the Officina chair, the Bouroullecs share: “We needed to find a geometry that would allow us to craft tables and chairs of different sizes.”
“The construction method uses a rod that we heat and press at the point where it will be linked with another rod. It is these precise press points that form the language of this collection and the basis for production. Wrought iron by nature has a kind of irregularity. It would be completely illogical to try and smooth out this surface. The project is almost hybrid, because it is both craftsmanship and industrial.”
Despite their youth, the Bouroullecs are the emerging stars in the international design scene and have been applauded as the most promising creatives from France since the legendary Phillippe Starck in the 1980s. Not even half way into their careers as designers, it’s certain they will produce many more future classics, like the Officina chair, in the years to come.
16 Creatives
01 - Adam Cornish
05 - Christopher Boots
09 - Marsha Golemac & Dan Hocking
13 - Studio Elke
The scope of Adam Cornish’s work includes an impressive range of design disciplines, including furniture and household innovation, as well as commercial and residential installations. He studied Industrial Design at the University of Technology Sydney and more recently, completed a degree in Furniture Design at Royal Melbourne’s Institute of Technology.
Christopher Boots’ handmade work – including lights, furniture and objects – explores the architecture and geometry of organic shapes, and is often inspired by forms found in plants, animals, and minerals. Christopher’s Greek heritage is reflected in his repeated fusion of natural and classical, with mythology a core concept permeating his work.
Marsha is a Melbourne-based art director and set designer, with a bold and collaborative approach to producing unique still life imagery and real world installations. Dan is a professional photographer with a minimal and graphic style, whose work covers a range of disciplines from landscape to architectural and still life photography.
Studio Elkes’s creative director Elke Kramer is an industry leader in the fashion and design worlds for her innovative aesthetic. Elke’s jewellery designs are an exploration of unique materials, experimental fabrications and new forms.
02 - Adam Goodrum
06 - Design by Toko
10 - Mika Utzon-Popov
Adam Goodrum is an acclaimed designer at the forefront of the growing Australian industrial design community. His furniture and object designs celebrate process and craftsmanship; accentuating components and joinery to create functional pieces with spirit and personality.
Design by Toko is a graphic design studio creating thoughtful and contemporary design solutions in the varied domain of commerce and culture. From concept and design to realisation, the studio offers a full creative service within branding, digital, spatial and print design.
Draftsman, printmaker and sculptor, Mika Utzon-Popov has creativity in his genes: his grandfather, Jørn Utzon, was the architect of the Sydney Opera House, and his parents are Danish artist–designer Lin Utzon and Australian architect Alexander Popov.
03 - Arent&Pyke
07 - Fiona Lynch
11 - Mim Design
Interior designers of exceptional technical and aesthetic expertise, the pairing of Arent&Pyke principals Juliette Arent and Sarah-Jane Pyke is realised through responsive and emotionally layered interiors. Whether tearing down walls or building new ones, their portfolio of award-winning work is consistently hallmarked by a clear understanding of their clients’ needs, lifestyle and passions.
Renowned for their artistic approach to interior design, Fiona Lynch is a design office that excels in achieving beautiful and genuine outcomes across retail, hospitality and residential projects. Inventive use of space, materials and custom detail are the creative hallmarks of this practice.
Mim Design is an award-winning Melbourne practice known for its creativity, high end finishes and attention to detail. Led by founder, Miriam Fanning, Mim Design has spent more than 20 years curating a diverse portfolio spanning high end residential, retail, hospitality
04 - bassike Established in 2006 by Deborah Sams and Mary Lou Ryan, bassike is an Australian fashion brand focused on high-end design, tailored construction and sustainable manufacturing.
08 - Henry Wilson Henry Wilson runs his own research and conceptual design studio, producing products, furniture and interiors that are considered and durable, with a focus on honest resolutions and longevity.
and corporate projects.
12 - Olsen Ormandy for Dinosaur Designs Olsen Ormandy is the creative moniker for artists and designers Louise Olsen and Stephen Ormandy, most famously known as the duo behind resin homewares and jewellery empire, Dinosaur Designs.
14 - Studio Twocan Studio Twocan is a Melbourne-based creative studio, managed by sisters, Maddie and Becc Sharrock. Together, they have embarked on a collaborative journey combining their shared skills and knowledge, to create beautiful design objects, lighting and artworks.
15 - Tracey Deep Tracey Deep is a curator of nature. She transforms found objects, old industrial materials, and bits and pieces of the natural world – all of which are often discarded without a thought – into seriously beautiful sculptures and installations; heightening and celebrating their unique forms, textures, and colours.
16 - We Are Triibe Founded in 2013 by directors Christina Symes and Jessica Stewart, We Are Triibe is a multi-platform design brand specialising in interior consulting, design, styling, and creative direction.
Material Hand-Blown Float Glass Instagram @adamcornishdesign @beyondblueofficial Website adamcornish.com beyondblue.org.au Charity Beyond Blue Three million Australians are living with depression or anxiety. Beyond Blue provides information and support to help everyone in Australia achieve their best possible mental health, whatever their age and wherever they live.
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Adam Cornish I have designed a reinterpreted floor lamp constructed from mouth blown glass and 3D-printed lighting components. Just as the original Officina chair was conceived using manufacturing local to Magis in Italy, I sought to recreate the chair using local Melbourne manufacturing. The frame has been stripped back to its simplest elements, and a mouth-blown glass silhouette is seated within the framework to create the body of the light. I have chosen to contribute to Beyond Blue as I think they are doing vital work in providing essential services, as well as expanding the dialogue around depression and anxiety in Australia. I think it’s so important that we continue to support and better understand the millions of people experiencing mental health issues in our communities.
Material Sterling Silver Instagram @adamgoodrumstudio @surfaid Website adamgoodrum.com surfaid.org Charity Surf Aid Surf Aid is a humanitarian organisation working to improve the health and living conditions of people living in isolated regions. A few examples of their efforts include providing clean water and sanitation, malaria treatment and mother-and-child health services.
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Adam Goodrum Magis is a company renowned for pushing the boundaries of new technological production methods. Given the Bouroullec brothers’ Officina chair is manufactured using the traditional technique of iron forging, I wanted to create something using a very modern technology. I have created earrings and a bracelet using the new process of ‘metal laser sintering’ and 3D-printed the pieces in Sterling Silver. The language of the wrought iron lends itself so well to jewellery. Production constraints required jeweler-extraordinaire Caroline Vasta to weave her magic to finish the pieces. I have chosen Surf Aid as my charity because I have done a lot of surfing in remote parts of Indonesia, and seen first-hand the wonderful work they do for the small and remote communities there.
Material Fabric Instagram @arentpyke_inout @arentpykestudio @nbcfaus Website arentpyke.com nbcf.org.au Charity National Breast Cancer Foundation NBCFÂ is the leading communityfunded organisation in Australia raising money for research into the prevention and cure of breast cancer.
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Arent&Pyke By tailoring a slip and resurfacing the legs, we have personified Officina. With an air of nonchalance, the presence of another person is evident in the ethereal dinner jacket and bow tie. A companionship of casual elegance weaves a new narrative into this once industrial object. The form is warm, soft and inviting; Officina is moored to the world by his slim pegs. Breast cancer is still the most prominent cancer amongst women in Australia and hence affects the lives of all of us at some point. We hope to contribute to a better understanding of this cell malfunction, to see a time when the cure is not noxious but holistic.
Material Premium Italian Leather Instagram @bassike @mirabelfoundation Website bassike.com mirabelfoundation.org.au Charity The Mirabel Foundation The Mirabel Foundation assists children aged 0-17 years who have been abandoned or orphaned due to parental illicit drug use and are now in the care of extended family or kinship care. Mirabel’s vision is that ‘every child deserves a childhood’, and they tirelessly work to restore every affected child’s sense of self-worth, belonging and hope - so they can reach their full potential as young adults.
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bassike The concept for bassike’s reinterpretation of the Officina chair began with the idea of working with earthy, natural materials to bring a warmth and softness to Ronan & Erwan Bouroullec’s industrial design. bassike co-founders Deborah Sams and Mary Lou Ryan selected a premium Italian leather to create a second skin for the chair in the form of two removable slips. Each slip is thoughtfully finished with contrast stitching and bound with thick leather lacing. Bassike is a long-time supporter of the Mirabel foundation, a not-for-profit charity which provides vital support to a growing number of children who are orphaned or abandoned due to parental illicit drug use. bassike is proud to work closely with Mirabel on a number of charity initiatives each year as part of this ongoing partnership.
Material Volcanic Glass Pure Gold Leaf Instagram @christopherboots @asrc1 Website christopherboots.com asrc.org.au Charity Asylum Seeker Resource Centre The ASRC is a community-led, not-for-profit organisation that is committed to upholding the human rights of all people seeking asylum.
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Christopher Boots Obsidian is a naturally occurring volcanic glass; a blackness that hides its origins as the blood of the earth. Pure gold leaf has been used on the chair surface, a nod to traditional artisanal techniques used by the Bouroullec brothers for the wrought iron chair base. This base also originated in fire; transformed by human ingenuity and skill, to become an object designed for the anthropomorphic era. The ‘seater’ may glimpse these origins and perhaps realise some uncomfortable truths about the way global resources are (mis) managed by humans. I have chosen to raise funds for the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre. As suggested by my concept, our communal resources around the world have been co-opted by vested interest groups. We are one human family, and only when we can all move as freely as capital does across borders, will I be able to rest my privileged firstworld butt down on a chair like this.
Material Magnets Instagram @redkitecharity Website designbytoko.com redkite.org.au Charity Redkite Providing essential support to children and young people with cancer, and their families, has been Redkite’s focus for over 30 years. Throughout the whole cancer journey, from the moment of diagnosis until after treatment finishes, Redkite provides families with financial assistance, counselling, education, and therapy.
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Design By Toko We applied 1300 magnets to the frame of the Ronan & Erwan Bouroullec-designed Officina chair to create volume and presence. We like the idea that our intervention is dynamic and impermanent so it can be altered and/or reversed. Magnets have been used for their healing properties since ancient times which supports our chosen charity Redkite, whose vision it is to support every child, teenager and young adult with cancer.
Material Victorian Rough-Sawn Macro Carpa Timber Leather Cord Instagram @fionalynchoffice Website fionalynch.com.au, westernchances.org.au Charity Western Chances Western Chances believes in the power of education to transform lives. With support, they give young people in Melbourne’s west the chance to fulfil their potential and overcome barriers to success. Their scholarships support talented and motivated students who may not otherwise have an opportunity to pursue their education dreams.
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Fiona Lynch When our Officina chair arrived, we instantly fell in love with the wrought iron frame; the imperfect surface - that was hand beaten and built - made us discuss how beautiful it is to see an authentic traditional material. We decided to remove the seat and workshop other traditional materials such as wood and leather. We worked with timber master and artist Jo Wilson to make the seat, using Victorian rough-sawn macro carpa (Cypress). The section was mounted on to the lathe and radial lines were hand turned into the centre of the seat. The backrest is wrapped in a leather cord. Working with traditional materials, we deliberately kept detailing minimal to not detract from the beauty of the wrought iron, wood and leather cord.
Material Marble Instagram @henrywilsonstudio @saveoursirius Website henrywilson.com.au saveoursirius.org Charity SOS Save Our Sirius SOS Save our Sirius is a campaign to save Sirius; the flats built for the community that saved The Rocks from demolition in the 1970s. Launched in August 2016, the campaign calls for a Heritage Listing to prevent Sirius from being demolished and redeveloped into luxury apartments. More than just an icon of brutalist architecture, Sirius represents social inclusion, equality and community for the people of Sydney.
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Henry Wilson I’ve always felt a little conflicted by the Chairity projects as they have involved reinterpreting ‘classic’ designs. It can be hard to justify messing with something that is so revered. When I saw this year’s chair I felt immediately that it should not end up back as a chair. We often expect forged steel to be solid and inflexible, I wanted to convey the rubbery hidden potential of steel. This year, I am raising funds for the ‘Save Our Sirius’ campaign. The Sirius building has always captured my imagination; both as a kid crossing the harbour bridge in the rear facing seats of my folk’s station wagon and as a design professional today. It is one of Sydney’s few remaining pieces of brutalist architecture and it’s something I know we need to preserve. The greed of our politicians and the blatant disregard of heritage experts is an embarrassment to our city. In the words of Tim Ross, “Architecture is not pizza, not everyone has to like it.”
Material Platine Photo Stock Dry-Mounted in Perspex Box Frame Instagram @marshagolemac @_danhocking_ @beyondblueofficial Website marshagolemac.com danhocking.com.au beyondblue.org.au Charity Beyond Blue 3 million Australians are living with depression or anxiety. Beyond Blue provides information and support to help everyone in Australia achieve their best possible mental health, whatever their age and wherever they live.
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Marsha Golemac & Dan Hocking Originally we discussed a lot of different concepts that involved everything from modifying to completely dismantling the chair and creating multiple objects from its components. However, we felt that in order to be true to both ourselves as image-makers, we would craft an image. We were drawn to the idea of the Officina chair being described as a future classic; this inspired our vision for the set design, lighting and composition, right through to the use of the latest high end camera technology. Our image is a tribute to each other’s work and a tribute to a future classic. Thank you to our collaborators for making this possible: Specular Photo Dealers, United Measures, Thirds Fine Art Printing, Mitchell’s Plastics and XO Studios.
Material Paint Instagram @mikautzonpopov Website mikautzonpopov.com msf.org.au Charity Médecins Sans Frontières Médecins Sans Frontières is the world’s leading independent organisation for medical humanitarian aid. Every day more than 24,000 field staff are providing assistance to people caught in crises around the world. They have offices in 19 countries supporting these teams, including an office in Sydney.
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Mika Utzon-Popov I spent a long time contemplating the chair and its intent. In the end I felt an urge to create something playful; something to contrast the severity of the process and the colour palette. Each element is coloured separately and as far as possible from each surface, to enhance their individual role in the design. I will continue to support Medicines Sans Frontieres, as I still feel that this charity crosses boundaries and particularly current political discussions about identity. We are one planet, one rock, floating through space, we all have a right to claim our life on it.
Material Paint Instagram @mimdesignstudio @beyondblueofficial Website mimdesign.com.au beyondblue.org.au Charity Beyond Blue 3 million Australians are living with depression or anxiety. Beyond Blue provides information and support to help everyone in Australia achieve their best possible mental health, whatever their age and wherever they live.
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Mim Design The Officina chair is an art piece in its own right. Something we aspire to is the melding of colour and texture, and being avid art followers as a studio, it has been a fantastic experience having the opportunity to create something unique. Not only do we love the vibrancy and layered texture of the application, but we feel the chair has synergies with our chosen charity, Beyond Blue. Mental illness does not discriminate and we need to be talking more about the issue. The work of Beyond Blue is extremely important and so we wanted to get behind this worthy cause, with a chair that will inspire the community to sit down and open the lines of communication.
Material Resin Instagram @dinosaur_designs @olsenormandy Website dinosaurdesigns.com.au wwf.org.au Charity World Wildlife Foundation’s Marine Protection Area Project Marine bio-diversity around the world is in steep decline and we risk losing so many amazing species including endangered turtles. Currently only 4% of oceans are covered by MPAs with many of those being poorly managed. The WWF wants to create 14 MPAs around the world to ensure critical habitats are restored and wildlife can thrive.
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Olsen Ormandy for Dinosaur Designs We loved the raw and bone-like quality of the Officina chair, particularly the frame, and worked to enhance these elements. Playing with the arms, seat and back while leaving the raw iron structure to stand like a skeleton, we re-modeled and hand cast forms from our collection that were originally inspired by organic shapes such as eggs and bones, to create a piece we feel reflects our aesthetic and that of the Bouroullec brothers. We have chosen to support the World Wildlife Foundation’s Marine Protection Area project.
Material Flocking Concrete Powdercoated Steel Instagram @studio_elke @ruokday Website studio-elke.com ruok.org.au Charity RUOK RUOK is a suicide prevention charity in Australia, reminding people that having meaningful conversations with mates and loved ones could save lives.
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Studio Elke We began by simply playing with the original surfaces, adding flocking and a matte powder coating, creating a palette of new tones and textures to imbibe the chair a rich, new visual energy. We then decided to construct an addition, with a vanity and mirror, to twist with the use of the chair and link it to the act of ‘adornment’. We used a contrast powdercoated finish to highlight that it was ‘adjunct’, as well as handmade joins that undulate to customise the final form. R U OK is a meaningful charity for many reasons. We support the charity’s ethos, of reaching out to friends and colleges, as so many people conceal their mental health state, needing conversation to reinforce connections and support.
Material Cement Kangaroo Leather Instagram @studio_twocan Website studio-twocan-shop.com.au helpinghandproject.org.au Charity The Helping Hand Project For over 10 years, dedicated volunteers at The Helping Hand Project have provided mentoring support to newly arrived refugee youth to help them settle into the community. The program is about breaking down barriers and building community networks, so they can reach their full potential.
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Studio Twocan Studio Twocan was formed on the basic principle that two heads are better than one. By sharing skills and knowledge we can challenge the ordinary and each other. That’s why we turned the Officina chair into a two seater. Like the Bouroullec brothers, we sit side by side. Materiality and process are integral to our work; so we combined raw industrial materials with a refined design aesthetic. This created a new artistic language that both complements and challenges the original. Our aim was to introduce some Australian flavour to this European future classic; the cement seat was inspired by the colours and textures of rural landscapes and the backrest upholstered with kangaroo leather and charred timber.
Material Recycled Wool Fibre Instagram @floralsculptures Website floralsculptures@ bigpond.com bushmob.com.au Charity Bush mob Bush Mob creates a safety and support network for young indigenous people as they develop from childhood to adolescence into early adulthood. They inspire indigenous youth to gain self-respect, trust and courage to enable a positive outlook on life. Here indigenous youth are nurtured, encouraged to achieve their goals and dreams, and live a healthy life, making positive changes and better choices to realise their unlimited potential.
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Tracey Deep My re-interpretation of the Officina chair is inspired by the contemporary design achieved with old traditional techniques. With my “sea” chair I have used a recycled wool fibre to create patterns & textures, layering to create a hand-made, playful, magical and whimsical piece. My sea chair conveys and evokes emotions connected to the “sea”, a celebration of contemporary design & a hand-made finish with nature always a window of inspiration. My chosen charity is “bush mob” who help young indigenous people who are at risk of being disengaged and marginalised.
Material Rattan, Timber Instagram @wearetriibe Website wearetriibe.com, treesforlife.org.au Charity Trees for Life One tree absorbs more than a tonne of carbon in its lifetime, so you can only imagine the impact when you plant millions of trees. By contributing our donation from the Chairity auction to Trees for Life, we hope to raise more awareness for their incredible community who aim to create dynamic, sustainable and native forests that will remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and provide multiple environmental benefits.
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We Are Triibe During the design process we begun drawing down on our main ideas and influences and it became evident that we wanted to modify the Officina design by combining traditional techniques and natural materials with its structural steel frame. Timber is a material that we love to incorporate into most of our designs due to its ability to help soften a space and create a warm and welcoming ambience. By pairing the timber frame with the natural rattan, which has long been a household staple, we hoped to create a design that could transition fluidly into most spaces. A big thank you to our carpenters at Exit Eighty Six for all their hard work helping us reimagine this chair.
Thank You
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As seen in Vogue Living November Issue
Cult together with Magis are proud to partner with Vogue Living for our ‘Chairity Project 2016’. The photoshoot featured in these pages is from the November issue of Vogue Living, where our creative community came together at the Cult Sydney showroom to share their finished designs. Framed by a backdrop of drawings by Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec, this photoshoot truly captures the essence of each creative and their signature aesthetics which they have so skilfully imparted on the Officina chair. A big thank you all who were involved in ‘Chairity Project 2016’, particularly to our creatives for their vision and execution in reinterpreting the future classic Officina chair.
How to Register
Now we hand ‘Chairity Project 2016’ over to you, and encourage you to support the Australian design community and their nominated charities by visiting the exhibition in Sydney or Melbourne, sharing your images on social media and registering online to bid. Each chair will be auctioned off online at: www.galabid.com/chairity2016. The online auction will run from: Thursday 17 November til’ Sunday 27 November at 9.00pm. - To register via SMS, text 0458678678 with your full name and “chairity2016”. You will be sent a registration link, click through to login to Galabid, complete registration and place bids. - To register online, visit galabid.com/chairity2016. Click ‘register’, enter your details and click ‘submit’. For registration questions, email marketing@cultdesign.com.au Happy Bidding!
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Sponsors
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The End