Arundell Reading Chair

The Arundell Reading Chair was commissioned by Jack Arundell of Edinburgh-based design studio Izat Arundell, using a small inheritance left by his late grandparents. The brief was to create a chair that would act as a physical reminder of their memory. Jack’s grandfather, Philip, like many people in later life, had a favourite chair, and this became the starting point for the project - a chair designed for reading in comfort, relaxed in posture while remaining attentive in use.

Having worked together on a number of previous projects, Jack felt it was appropriate to commission a piece of such personal significance. Early discussions centred around shared reference points, ways of working, and the qualities found in chairs shaped directly by hand. It was agreed that carving would be central to the identity of the piece, allowing form to emerge through making rather than being fully predetermined.

To achieve the light, continuous forms required, the chair was carved from a solid mass of native timber. Rather than fixing every detail in advance, the final shape was allowed to develop through close engagement with the material itself. This approach carried an element of risk, with the quality of the outcome dependent on judgement, experience, and careful decision-making at each stage of the process.

Photos by ZAC + ZAC