← All projects

Porada Astol Bench

Inspired by the thousands of islands that make up the Stockholm archipelago, where designer Staffan Tollgård was born and raised, the collection emerged from the idea of encasing: a precious or hard-working material wrapped or protected by an enfolding, hand worked wrapper. It is the idea of the islands being wrapped by rocks and surrounded by sea that the pieces represent. They also allow for the multiplicity of forms – islands born from the same series of elements but nevertheless with their own unique character and purpose.

A series of tables and seating turn on the common elements of solid, hand-worked wood, leather and ceramic detailing. These ingredients are key to a determinedly mid-century functionalism inherent in the collection: the purpose of the solid wooden lip that encases the durable ceramic top is to hold precious items within. Two tiers allow for storage of books and objects, while the hard-wearing saddle