MR01 INITIAL OUTDOOR LOUNGE CHAIR
BY MATHIAS RASMUSSEN
A NATURAL NOMAD MOVES OUTSIDE
OUTDOOR LIVING
With its low-slung wooden frame and nautically evocative rope seat and backrest, Mathias Steen Rasmussen’s breakthrough MR01 Initial Lounge Chair has begged to be taken outside since its creation. Now, two years after the design made its indoor debut in oak and walnut, Rasmussen and GUBI have responded to demand and developed a new edition, specially constructed for outdoor living.
CONSTRUCTED WITHOUT A SINGLE NAIL
As with the indoor edition, the MR01 Initial Outdoor Lounge Chair’s frame is constructed without the use of screws. A gifted woodworker, Rasmussen developed the design using techniques from the artisanal discipline of cabinetmaking, with wedged mortise and tenon joints attaching the five cross bars to the open-triangle side pieces.
FOR REMAINING GROUNDED
Rasmussen conceived the MR01 as a lounge chair that could be used while meditating – a comfortable, gently inclined, low lounge seat in which one could relax, feet to the floor, and relish the calming sensation of floating while remaining grounded. The lightweight chair was always intended to be versatile and nomadic, traveling easily around the home as the user wishes. With the addition of the MR01 Initial Outdoor Lounge Chair to the collection, the comfort, flexibility, and sculptural beauty of Rasmussen’s ground-breaking design can now be enjoyed outside.
FSC®-CERTIFIED IROKO WOOD
The MR01 Initial Outdoor Lounge Chair is crafted from FSC®-certified iroko (FSC®-C176589). This wood has proved itself ideally suited to Rasmussen’s design, maintaining its strong silhouette through the transition outside, and helping to emphasize the MR01 Initial Chair’s sculptural quality.
MARITIME ROPE
To endure life outdoors, the MR01’s signature linen rope that comprised the seat and backrest has been replaced with custom-made high-performance polyester with the same look and tactility. This material is waterproof and UV-resistant, so it will not fade over long days in the sunshine; and mold-resistant, which means it will not degrade. An anti-deformation core prevents the rope stretching over time.
MATHIAS RASMUSSEN
Mathias Steen Rasmussen (born 1990) is a young Danish designer with a seasoned and rigorous approach to furniture design. As a trained cabinetmaker, wood is usually Rasmussen’s point of departure, and his philosophy is “honesty in construction”. This means keeping the design process open to what an object consists of and how it is constructed, often with an affinity for showcasing the naked grain of the wood and visible joints. He often brings in other natural materials such as glass, stone, and rope as textural contrasts, resulting in an aesthetic dialogue between colors, techniques, and surfaces. With an earnest respect for his materials and a keen sense of balance in form and function, his work respectfully nods to mid-century Danish design.
LIVELY COLOR, BEAUTIFUL PATINA
Known for its lively color expression, iroko is a naturally oil-rich hardwood that is highly durable and resistant to the elements, hence the fact it is frequently used in boat building, for outdoor decks and terraces, and to make premium outdoor furniture. Part of the beauty of iroko lies in its wide-ranging color spectrum – from a light brown akin to oak to a much darker, more teak-like shade. Over time, iroko timber patinates beautifully with time, taking on a coppery tone as it ages.
THE COLLECTION
The MR01 Initial Outdoor Lounge Chair is made from a frame in FSC®-certified iroko wood with natural oil applied, rope in UV-resistant polyester yarn with anti-deformation core, and waterproof polyurethane (D4) glue.