A family affair at Ondarreta
Clean lines, clear and straight silhouette, translucid in its surface. And yet, multiple layers of thought, technology and craft hold together the Supra Chair, by Note Design Studio for Ondarreta. For such a seemingly straightforward piece, the extent of its complexities isn’t apparent, but makes up for a surprising structure of functionality, beauty and innovation.
Nora and Nadia Arratibel, directors of Ondarreta —and heirs to over fifty years of furniture-making history in the Basque Country— met Daniel Heckscher, who was part of the Swedish Note Team, in the 2018 Salone del Mobile Milano. It was a casual conversation, as Nora recalled, but they connected over the fact that Heckscher spends big periods of time surfing in the Spanish north shore –and connection is something the Arratibel sisters highly value–. After the fair ended, they met again in San Sebastian, and afterwards included Malin Engvall, also from Note, in their talks. The idea of a collaboration between the two houses took form.
“We started off from a briefing that we made, because we felt that a specific product was needed”, explained Nora Arratibel, commercial director and manager of the firm, while her architect sister Nadia is in charge of product design and new developments. “We wanted a heavy-usage chair, stackable, with a competitive price; a chair you could use in a library, a convention center or a kitchen”. Historically, Ondarreta’s catalog favors wood, but at that moment, they fancied an exploration in polypropylene. “Above all, we were sure we didn’t want just another chair”, added Nora. “That’s why we wanted Note to execute the brief: we knew they would bring something different and special”.
Based in Stockholm since 2008, Note is “a forward-thinking design studio with a potent collective spirit”. They move within a fertile creative territory, taking on architectural, interiors and product design projects, as well as graphic design and art direction. Note’s dynamics are characterized by a multidisciplinary and transversal approach that includes all its team members in the process. As a result, a lot of minds revolved around the Supra project.
There is no simple product and much less when it’s a chair, but the Supra model had more complexities than usual due to its profile. This is a mono-shell chair with the expression of a two-piece (the seat and the back seem to be separate but are not); the outside and the back remain straight, while the inner curvature flexes when the user leans backwards. Furthermore, it was decided that the polypropylene would not have a regular look, but a translucid one, to be able to play with light and color in an innovative way. For many reasons, the plastic injection was quite elaborate.
A prototype was presented in Milan’s 2019 fair and the Supra collection was launched in 2023 (there was a considerable delay due to the pandemic). Ondarreta likes the concept of a family of products. Therefore, they don’t present an isolated piece, but a developed program. Today, the Supra family includes versions in wood and steel; an armchair and a stool, as well as chairs with swivel and trumpet bases.
In a promotional video produced by Ondarreta, the Note Team explains the difference it made for them to be able to attend to all the process steps in the San Sebastian factory, and to visit and supervise the work done by the service suppliers that collaborate with the Basque brand. “Our injector is just 10 or 15 minutes away; the fact that we have developed a network of local providers allows us to achieve finishes that otherwise we wouldn’t get”, pointed out Nora Arratibel.
“We are manufacturers that have betted on the local economy a long time ago. This enables us to do more things design wise, and to talk about real sustainability –everything is made here and shipped to over fifty countries that we export to”. Nora referred to Ondarreta as a big family –which includes outside and often long-time collaborators. “I like to think we also have the responsibility to show the customer who and what is behind a piece of Ondarreta furniture”.
Today’s technological and innovative endeavors meet with dynamics of classical woodworking that have to do with Ondarreta’s history. The brand’s approach and body of work has recently been awarded with the National Design Award 2023. “There’s a balance between the highest digitalization possible and handwork, tradition and seam-making”, concluded Nora Arratibel. “Without hands and heritage, our products can’t be made”.
