Header: Zilio A&C
It is rare for a folding chair to stick around for a decade and a half, yet the Patan by Zilio A&C has done exactly that. In November 2025, the Zilio A&C design celebrated 15 years in production. Designed by Tomoko Azumi in 2011, this piece has outlasted many trends in the furniture market. It remains relevant because it solves a basic problem: providing a temporary seat that prioritises the person sitting in it rather than just the space it saves.
A backrest that actually fits the back
The most specific design detail of the Patan is the backrest. In this category of furniture, designers often make the back flat to save money or space, but Azumi took a different approach. The Patan features a distinct curved backrest intended to support natural posture. This concave shape makes the chair comfortable enough for long dinners or extended meetings, rather than just short bursts of use.
This curve is not just for sitting, though. It plays a massive role in how the chair functions when it is not in use. The shape allows the chairs to nest against one another tightly. When folded, the structure becomes compact and easy to manage. For venues that need to move furniture quickly, Zilio A&C also produces a dedicated trolley that holds the folded chairs, making transport and storage much easier for staff in cafés, universities, or event spaces.
Material choices and dimensions
The chair is crafted entirely from beechwood, a material chosen for its strength and reliability. This connects to the history of Zilio A&C, a family-run company founded in 1951 in Manzano’s Chair District, where working with solid wood is a local expertise. The brand offers the Patan in a natural beech finish, but it also comes in stained options, including Black, Wengé, Smoke, and Granite Grey.
In terms of size, the chair measures 490 mm wide, 500 mm deep, and 750 mm high. These dimensions are substantial enough to feel stable while still remaining compact enough to fit into tight shared spaces. The construction relies on a straightforward, durable mechanism that converts a simple folding action into consistent performance that does not wear out easily over time.
After 15 years, the Patan remains relevant because it does not try to be loud. It focuses on the basics of what a chair should be: supportive, solid, and easy to handle. As it hits this anniversary, the design continues to serve shared spaces with the same clarity and function it had when it first arrived.
