In 1830, Michael Thonet began experimenting with what was soon to be known as “bentwood” furniture and it was not long before Thonet and his sons were producing this furniture on an industrial scale. The name Thonet quickly became synonymous with a high standard of exquisite craftsmanship and Thonet’s bentwood products, joined in the 1930s by a very innovative tubular steel furniture, soon joined the ranks of the most famous and most imitated furniture products of modern times. Today this family company continues to produce its innovative products that stand out due to their quality materials and timeless formal language in its historical head offices in Frankenberg/Eder in the north of Hesse (Germany).
The list of designers who have worked with Thonet over the past 60 years is long and filled with top caliber names: Egon Eiermann, Verner Panton, Eddie Harlis, Hanno von Gustedt, Rudolf Glatzel, Pierre Paulin, Gerd Lange, Hartmut Lohmeyer, Ulrich Böhme and Wulf Schneider, Alfredo Häberli, Christophe Marchand, Lord Norman Foster, Delphin Design, Glen Oliver Löw, James Irvine,Piero Lissoni, Stefan Diez, Lievore Altherr Molina, Lepper Schmidt Sommerlade, Hadi Teherani, Läufer + Keichel. Moreover the company’s own Thonet Design Team regularly adds new designs to Thonet’s versatile portfolio.
Jorre Van Ast (see image) born in 1980, studied industrial and product design at the University of Professional Education in Den Haag and at the Royal College of Art in London. After finishing his studies, he started working as a freelancer with his Studio Jorre van Ast in London as part of the OKAY studio collective. Jorre van Ast is a member of the board of the Dutch Creative Council. In the field of design, Jorre van Ast considers the creation of entirely new typologies the greatest challenge. For him, innovation emerges from the use of innovative production technologies or new materials. The quest for sustainability is an important aspect of his work.
In 2016 he has designed its new wooden table 1060, a modern piece of furniture that unifies the three themes of living,working and the Thonet heritage.
