THE GIRAFFE CHAIR

The giraffe is the most unique in the animal kingdom. Its phenotype is atypical in every regard. It adopts biological and structural solutions without comparison in any other animal. This was a good starting point for Owan, as a source of inspiration and, while stuydying this incredbile animal, we came to discover ideas and concepts which, in the end, led to the Giraffe Chair, our project

But let’s go back for a minute to the giraffe and her world of records (we like to imagine the giraffe as a“lady”, for her feminine elegance and grace). First of all she’s the tallest animal on Earth. With her 18 feet, she stands above a London bus or a two-story house. A man can stand up under her belly and even the elephant seems to loose part of its majestic stature, when close to a giraffe.

The giraffe boasts the biggest heart among land mammals: 36 inches wide, with a weight of over 25 pounds. This features, along with her reserved personality, were more than enough for us to choose her as Owan’s mascot. Owan is also sponsoring the GCF, the Giraffe Conservation Foundation, which is working to raise awareness around these African animals at the edge of extinction.

The giraffe features also a quite complex hydraulic system inside her bloodstream: she is able to maintain constant pressure in her veins thanks to an ingenious automatic device: when the giraffe drinks from a pool, her head is on the ground and below heart’s level, whereas when she is grazing from treetops, her head raises 18 ft. above the ground. The blood, according to these shifts, is pumped from or released from the “rete mirabile”, a vascular network interrupting the continuity of an artery or vein.

This was an exciting starting point for Owan. An in-depth study of the giraffe and its anatomy allowed us to isolate a number of interesting ideas and concepts leading to the concept for our flagship project. Owan, after two years of research, created the Giraffe Chair, a revolutionary product adopting not only some bio-mechanical solutions from this extraordinary animal, but also its character and personality.

Is it an observatory, a refuge, a tower or a chair like no other? No matter how you look at it, the Giraffe Chair, with its 30 feet, is a majestic presence that dominates the view in your property. A higher place, far from the frenzy of a hyper-connected world, that reconnects man to his inner landscapes. From up there you can relax and contemplate the world from a different perspective. Sitting at the top of the Giraffe Chair you’ll come up with ideas you never had before. Take a nap, read a book or enjoy a sundowner. And see the world from a giraffe’s point f view.

The Giraffe Chair is a masterpiece of craftsmanship and technology, entirely built on teak wood, stainless steel 316 and amphibian skin. Each piece has been made by hand. You can order several optional including a winch for the glacette, a reading lamp, adjustable sunshades, wind vane flag and aviation top-light.

Contact us: we will be more than happy to meet you to show you more about this unique chair. The Giraffe Chair is installed by specialized staff and we issue, upon delivery, a guarantee on all materials used, plus a structural safety certificate. The Giraffe Chair can also be rented for temporary installations, films or photo shoots.

Orders and reservations. By appointment only: info@brandpowder.com/owan

GIRAFFES HAVE THE BIGGEST HEART AMONG LAND MAMMALS. SHOW THEM YOUR IS BIGGER.

The giraffes went down 40% over the past 30 years and they are now listed at risk of extinction in the Red List of IUCN. There are four elephants for each giraffe, in Africa. Owan invites you to support GCF with a donation, or to adopt a giraffe. The Giraffe Conservation Foundation is the only ONG exclusively dedicated to the protection of giraffes in Africa. For further information on how you can help GCF, please visit www.giraffeconservation.org.