Chairs

As early as 1945, Garth Chester and his cousin AL Williams began to experiment with hand-made furniture in laminated plywood. The material was both robust and flexible, and they used it to create designs ‘for the new outlook’.

Modernist designers, artists, and architects sought to make radical changes in the way people lived and worked. They embraced advanced techniques and materials to create liveable, affordable environments. Chester’s furniture became synonymous with modernism in Auckland, and leading architect Lillian Laidlaw and designer John Crichton chose his designs to furnish open-plan interiors with the stylish new look.