Gallery: 4 Years of Hard Work Yield a Comfy Metal Chair That's Crazy Skinny
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Los Angeles-based design Jonathan Olivares has developed a new outdoor chair that combines the strength of metal, the fluid lines of plastic, and style that will blow any other patio furniture out of the pool water. *Photo: Jonathan Olivares*
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The bright colors of the Olivares Aluminum Chair were inspired by artist David Hockney's paintings of southern California pools. *Photo: Jonathan Olivares*
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In order to perfect the chair's design, Olivares and his team spent years refining it with a prototype heavy design process. *Photo: Jonathan Olivares*
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Olivares's studio worked at a variety of scales from full scale mockups to small prototypes to work out mechanics. *Photo: Jonathan Olivares*
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The chair went through dozens of iterations and manufacturing processes. *Photo: Jonathan Olivares*
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The chairs are covered with a scratch-resistant powder coat which allows them to be stacked when not in use. *Photo: Jonathan Olivares*
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Cafés are an ideal proving ground for chairs according to Olivares, since all the angles are visible at once. *Photo: Jonathan Olivares*
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To replicate the experience he developed a gyroscopic tripod to photograph the prototypes which creates a virtual Starbucks that allows him to see the design from all angles. *Photo: Jonathan Olivares*
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Small design details like a through hole allows water to drain from the chair. *Photo: Jonathan Olivares*
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