The 109 Collection
2023
Product — One Hundred Ninth
Designer — Graham Kelman
Developed with One Hundred Ninth, The Subtraction Chair applies an architectural approach to furniture through a process of subtraction, carving, and material contrast. Crafted from solid white oak with a slender steel inlay, the chair functions as both a practical object and sculptural work, exploring how expressive form and precision manufacturing can coexist within an everyday piece of furniture.
The Subtraction Chair A + B
35” x 17 1/2” x 20 1/4”
White Oak, Steel,
Powder-Coated Finish
Powder-Coated Finish
The Subtraction Chair is a self-commissioned product, driven by the desire to create a bold gesture that celebrates contrast and contradiction in order to encourage curiosity and contemplation. It’s designed for all people because its foundational themes are fundamentally universal and uniquely human: the use of digital design methodologies and meticulous craftsmanship, strength revealed in absence or void and achieving an ideal ergonomic balance.
The idea for the chair is derived from Graham Kelman’s fascination with contradictory concepts and elements - simplicity and complexity, organic and geometric, gestural and precise - and is part of a collection of one-of-a-kind pieces that are visually striking and highly functional. The Subtraction Chair is a collaboration between Graham Kelman Studio and One Hundred Ninth, a full-service design and fabrication practice that specializes in imagining and building sculptural elements.
Made from sustainably sourced solid White Oak from responsibly managed forests, the Subtraction Chair is milled and finished using hidden mortise and tenon connections. The minimal form is complemented by an intricately slender steel inlay that envelops a void, and the steel “void” is laser cut, bent, welded, and powder coated. The two elements are then pressure fit into a single gesture that appears almost effortless.
These techniques are the result of countless hours of research, design iterations and prototypes. Every chair is numbered, signed and engraved with a brass inlay, including a concept sketch from Graham’s sketchbook.
One Hundred Ninth develops innovative products at the intersection of concept and production - bringing to fruition ambitious ideas, gestures and expressive forms. The Subtraction Chair was further developed, engineered and crafted at their facility in Philadelphia, PA.
One Hundred Ninth develops innovative products at the intersection of concept and production - bringing to fruition ambitious ideas, gestures and expressive forms. The Subtraction Chair was further developed, engineered and crafted at their facility in Philadelphia, PA.
The gesture of the Subtraction Chair lies in the interplay of materials. The White Oak body is FSC certified, and is sourced from responsibly managed forests that provide environmental, social, and economic benefits. The purpose of this material choice is both for natural warmth and sustainability, ensuring that we achieve our vision without compromising the health of the world’s forests.
Fundamental to our approach is considering how we’re able to optimize our production for the least amount of waste possible. The specific steel used in the subtraction portion of the chair was derived from a parameter to use surplus materials available. Every element within the collection considers the ideal nesting of shapes on standard sheet goods for maximum efficiency.
The Ba Table
The foundation of One Hundred Ninth’s Graham Kelman Collection is the use of digital design methodologies and meticulous craftsmanship to create maximally expressive works with a pragmatic core. The sculptural shape of the Ba Table table is informed by geometric tessellation, allowing a single shape to multiply infinitely, with the greatest variety of configurations possible. This concept gives the Ba Table its flexibility; ideal for elegantly adapting to any space and use. Every curve is seemingly unrestrained and gestural, yet precise and purposeful – it needs to be exactly what and how it is to work the way it does.
The Ba Table is a self-commissioned product, designed with the goal of creating a single, scalable element that could complement a multitude of spaces and uses, across residential and commercial applications: from dorm room side table to grand living room coffee table; retail display to the gallery art installation or the lobby lounge to a private office. Alone, the Ba Table is a sculptural accent piece; a bold gesture when multiplied.
The Ba Table is a collaboration between Graham Kelman Studio and One Hundred and Ninth, a full-service design and fabrication practice that specializes in imagining and building sculptural elements.
The Ba Bowl
The Graham Kelman Collection is a collaboration between One Hundred Ninth and Architectural Artist Graham Kelman. Inspired by and with an emphasis on explorations into art-forward gestures and expressive forms, Kelman approaches furniture design as he would a singular art installation. The result is a collection of fundamentally modular Functional Sculpture - a line of Future Classics.
With its expressive shape and color options, the Ba Bowl can nest into other Ba Bowls to be arranged in infinite configurations. Use the Ba Bowl for tabletop display, organizing, and arranging your surfaces.
The Ba Bowl is a truly unique and versatile addition to your tabletop. Its novel silhouette is inspired by tessellating patterns, which allows the Ba Bowl to piece together infinitely with other bowls. Customizable, tessellating patterns allow you to refresh and reconfigure the Ba Bowl in endless creative ways. Whether you're storing or displaying objects, the Ba Bowl's modular design is perfect for maximizing space and achieving a sleek, modern look. Made from laser cut and powder coated steel, the Ba Bowl is a durable addition to your home that doubles as sculpture.
The Team
Matt Tarosky
Graham Kelman
Lindsay Weiss
Kevin Chen
Max Greenberg
Katie McCormick
Graham Kelman
Lindsay Weiss
Kevin Chen
Max Greenberg
Katie McCormick
Raunak Deshmukh
Kelsey Owens
Grace Choi
Colin Lew
Michael Levengood
Caroline Shank
Kelsey Owens
Grace Choi
Colin Lew
Michael Levengood
Caroline Shank
