The column: a recognizable and ancient form, largely considered to be the genesis of architecture and the built environment. A totemic, singular shape, rising up out of the earth – when placed, it seems at once grand, and like it always existed there. The After Series by Michael Anastassiades for Fritz Hansen plays with these forms in the micro, and fuses the humility and ethos of Danish design with the high level of finish we know of Fritz Hansen. Balanced and clean, from the chair to the table, the After Series continues a lineage, finding its inspiration both in ancient Greek seating and in experts like Kaare Klint and Poul Kjærholm. Anastassiades presents a fresh dining collection that stands on a solid footprint of design history.
The colors expertly employed here create a lovely platform for a play of light: a deep burgundy that highlights the balanced proportion of the forms and a natural finish that celebrates the materiality of the collection, crafted from solid oak. Burgundy lazur, especially, speaks to the depth of Anastassiades’ work, a fusion of industrial production and artisanal techniques. The natural oak, in contrast, feels almost raw, emphasizing the materiality and soft undulation of the oak elements.
Comprising an elegant pair, the After chair is complemented by the After table, topped by a gorgeous marble – Rosso Levanto – that enhances the Burgundy lazur colorway. Another version, natural and unadorned, offers an unimpeded view of the materiality we so love, but this luxurious marble matches the legs and table perfectly, and adds a fantastic textural element, polished to a glossy finish.
The After chair’s seat slopes slightly, its slight yet thoughtful edge remaining slightly offset. A small yet delicate detail, this is the magic of a collaboration between Anastassiades and Fritz Hansen: finely wrought curves, constructed in heirloom-quality materials.
The After table’s top, meanwhile, seems to float just above the legs, adding a specific lightness to the form that plays so well with the structural qualities of the chair. This is especially apparent in the natural oak colorway, where shadow and tone are a bit more noticeable within a recognizable material.
One sculptural detail after another defines the After Series, whose planes meet each other sometimes flush, sometimes not, in an interplay of smooth surfaces intersecting with a dynamic right angle or two.
To learn more about the After Series by Michael Anastassiades, visit fritzhansen.com.
Photography courtesy of Fritz Hansen.