Akira Dining Chairs
Wood: Another Look
PROJECT: Akira Dining Chairs
WOOD: Brazilian Cherry/Jatoba (Hymenaea courbaril), Wenge (Millettia laurentii), Walnut (Juglans spp.)
CREATOR: Hank Holzer | Holzer Ames Furniture
Seattle-based fine woodworker Hank Holzer's early designs were often contemporary interpretations of classical forms. Nowadays his concepts venture into entirely new realms and rarely return to historical sources.
"As a designer and builder, I am able to give special attention to the beauty of the material and its relationship to the piece being worked. This leads to a more thorough understanding of the structure needed to create strength and longevity in a piece as well as create individual designs," says Holzer.
Holzer's passion for wood and his background in art, design, dance and architecture inform his wood sculptures. His work is audacious, always made with gorgeous woods and hand-crafted with extraordinary attention to detail.
These striking Akira chairs are made from jatoba and wenge. The chairs have a spring-like quality that seems to magically rock, soothe and levitate the user.
"The Akira chair relies on the strength of the joinery in a fairly small miter area," notes Holzer. "There are times where I want the wood thinner and stronger than domestic species would allow. It's hard to beat the density of jatoba and bubinga, as these are really strong woods. I look for book-matched boards with an interesting character. Then I make the joinery splines out of very straight-grained wenge. Because of the tensile strength that it has, it's like fiberglass soaked in epoxy. It's impossible to break the splines if it's all done right." Holzer also works in domestic claro or western walnut woods. "The rich chocolate browns, blacks and sometimes reds, are pretty spectacular from a coloration standpoint."
"When people ask me to describe my furniture, I make references to the flowing mountain stream, the power of a Midwest thunderstorm, the grace of a gazelle's leg, some movements of Fred Astaire, the elasticity of molten glass or the bending of aspens in a gentle breeze," says Holzer.
Frequently asked questions
What woods are used in the Akira Dining Chairs?+
The Akira chairs are made from Brazilian Cherry/Jatoba (Hymenaea courbaril) and Wenge (Millettia laurentii), with Walnut (Juglans spp.) also used in Holzer's work.
Why does Hank Holzer choose jatoba for the Akira chair?+
Holzer uses jatoba because the Akira chair relies on strong joinery in a fairly small miter area, and he sometimes needs wood thinner and stronger than domestic species allow. Jatoba and bubinga offer exceptional density and strength.
Why is wenge used for the joinery splines in the Akira chair?+
Holzer makes the joinery splines from very straight-grained wenge because of its tensile strength. He compares it to fiberglass soaked in epoxy, saying the splines are impossible to break when done correctly.
Who designed and built the Akira Dining Chairs?+
The Akira Dining Chairs were designed and built by Seattle-based fine woodworker Hank Holzer of Holzer Ames Furniture.
What qualities define Hank Holzer's furniture design approach?+
Holzer's work is informed by his background in art, design, dance, and architecture, resulting in audacious wood sculptures made from beautiful woods with hand-crafted attention to detail. He gives special attention to the material and its relationship to the piece to ensure strength and longevity.
What is special about the walnut Holzer uses in his furniture?+
Holzer works with domestic claro or western walnut, which he values for its spectacular coloration, including rich chocolate browns, blacks, and sometimes reds.