BUTTONBACK
Designed and built as a collaboration between Aileen De La Ree Valenica and Nush Wadia, the ButtonBack Chair is an exploration in materiality, form, and ergonomics.
Crafted from eight-quarter Cherry, with an asymmetric form, undulating surfaces, a sole armrest, and solid-wood seat and back, the goal of the design was to defy ideas and standards of aesthetics and comfort.
PROJECT BRIEF
Though technically a children’s book, The Little Prince explores themes that continue to resonate deeply with adults, offering new insights at different stages of life. It challenges adult priorities, often highlighting their peculiar nature—something the Little Prince frequently observes, remarking, “Grown-ups are certainly very, very odd.”
Inspired by this spirit of questioning conventional adult priorities, particularly dull, purely practical, traditional aesthetics, the design reimagines traditional upholstery with an unusually playfully chunky weave.
PROCESS
CURIOSITY + WHIMSY
The off-white bouclé, sewn into large tubes and woven together, forms a plush, inviting cushion—perfect for lounging and reading—while evoking a sense of curiosity and whimsy. The fabric choice, reminiscent of contemporary trends, balances sophistication with playfulness, capturing the sense of wonder that children bring to the mundane.
This design embraces playfulness, elegance, and the unexpected—a “little big throne” meant to make the user feel delightfully small while seated in its intentionally oversized proportions.