Header: Oleg Kuzmin
The Havana Club Chair is a stylish outdoor chair designed by Brandon Kershner for Azzurro Living. The designer took inspiration from the classic club chair shape (broad seat, gently reclined back, and long armrests) and used rope wrapped around the frame to make it resistant to all kinds of weather. For its form and functionality, it has won the “Garden Furniture” category at the SIT Furniture Design Awards.
The use of rope
As mentioned, the seat and back use all-weather rope made from synthetic fibres, often polypropylene or polyester with UV protection, woven around a strong core. It is wrapped by hand around the frame and pulled to a specific tension that allows a person’s weight to spread across the chair rather than dumping it on one spot. Through this bounce, the rope is able to stay tight over time, making it less likely to sag or crack when weight is spread across the weave. Furthermore, the use of rope allows air to pass through, giving the chair a sense of visual lightness.
The chair comes in olive green, described as a chromatic neutral by the designer, a colour specifically chosen for its desaturated earth tones, which sit perfectly alongside foliage, stone and concrete. This kind of colour hides dust and UV discolouration better than lighter shades, and because it’s added during manufacture rather than dyed on afterwards, it holds up better in the sun and weather.
Strong yet light
The main structure is built from a powder-coated aluminium frame. Aluminium is used here for its strength-to-weight ratio, its corrosion resistance through oxide layer formation, and its compatibility with marine-grade coatings, with powder coating adding resistance to chipping, oxidation and UV degradation.
Maintenance is simple, making this outdoor chair quite attractive: the powder-coated aluminium frame just needs the occasional clean with mild detergent, and the all-weather rope can usually be rinsed off and is made to resist mildew.
Comfortable, just like a vacation
Comfort comes from two details: the shape of the frame and the slight give in the rope. Unlike a stiff sling, the woven rope flexes a little and adjusts to the body, which helps spread pressure, especially around the lower back and under the thighs. If the chair is used with cushions, the brand offers the possibility of adding some with quick-dry foam, which allows water to drain through and air to move around it.
Project Information
Company/Firm: Azzurro Living
Designer: Brandon Kershner
Project Date: January, 2025
