Herit Armchair

Tradition and renewal
Danish design traditions have left a clear mark on Simon Legald’s chair series, Herit, which is short for heritage.
The simple and honest style that characterises Danish furniture history stands as a clear frame of reference for a collection draped in nostalgia. But Herit is just as much a design that looks forward. Innovative production methods, new material compositions and timeless silhouettes give life to a chair that stands tall on its own.

Herit reflects Simon Legald’s love of classic Danish furniture craftsmanship, but rose from a desire to design a versatile and strong chair that unites the different eras of Danish design. A chair in which oak and plastic merge in tactful synergy, to create a hard-wearing, maintenance-friendly and accessible design, made for modern life.
New production methods
The smooth curves that spread across Legald’s drawing table proved impossible to produce at first. Standard plastic moulding techniques do not permit variations in the plastic’s thickness of more than 10 mm, as the material will inevitably sink down. Herit’s curved armrests required more room for expression and full control of the shape, and so the project was put on hold for the time being.

Herit was consigned to the drawer, until Legald eventually managed to come across a small factory in northern Italy that had developed a brand new way of moulding plastic. In its innovative, patented technique, a core of foam is injected into the plastic, enabling large variations in thickness without the plastic subsiding.

Transitions of shape
This unique interaction between material and form opened the door to the design of Herit. The curves of the back and the armrest undulate in an easy, sensuous exchange between delicacy and fullness, from a narrow 6 mm to 35 mm at the broadest point. The path of the curves is by no means random; it is precisely designed to follow the shape of the body and create the correct support in the seated position. Herit is a chair that truly unfolds its beauty as you move around it and observe the transitions of shapes.

Simon Legald’s talent in unifying materials seamlessly and harmoniously comes to the fore in the design of Herit. The materials meet in soft transitions that naturally gather the elements of the chair into a single finished piece of furniture. The design of the legs is cut right back, so only that which is necessary remains. The oval section of legs and stretchers make the solid base appear airy and delicate.

Transcending styles
Herit is available either with or without armrests, and with upholstered or plastic seats. A palette of five classic shades with a dusty tweak are matched against complementary textiles from British Camira or leather from Danish Sørensen Læder. You can choose between oak legs with a transparent matte varnish or dark varnished oak, which has a smoky look.

The balanced materials complete a design expression that is contemporary and everlasting. With tradition and renewal combined in equal measure, Herit is a hybrid of time that transcends styles and periods. Whether it moves into a classic apartment, a modernist building or post-modern architecture, it inhabits the space with natural ease and subtle grace.