joaquim belsa, the story of a pioneer of modern design
2024 saw the reedition of Bench 202, a rattan bench originally designed in 1961 by Catalan industrial designer Joaquim Belsa. Bench 202 is the result of our ongoing effort to revive, protect and promote our rich culture. Revisiting classics such as this bench is not only our way of giving the figure of Joaquim Belsa the prominence and acknowledgment he deserves, but also of reclaiming our Mediterranean roots, our history and our longstanding tradition of craftsmanship and design.
Belsa, master of bent rattan
Joaquim Belsa (Barcelona, 1929) studied at the Escola de la Llotja, nowadays Barcelona Arts and Crafts School, and soon developed an interest in design and furniture production. He started his professional career in a cabinetmaker’s shop where he discovered his passion for traditional materials such as natural wood, Manila cane and cattail, the materials that would shape his most iconic pieces of furniture and caught our attention in the first place.
In 1951, Joaquim founded the company Aresta. Aresta’s catalogue consisted of wooden furniture elements which picked up the baton of pre-Civil War rationalist local artists. During this period, Belsa’s production was based on a simple design concept: the single stroke. Linked to his personal approach to design (functionalist with Mediterranean features and references to popular furniture), this idea of using a single continuous line is easily translated into furniture thanks to the materials, either Manila cane or chrome-plated steel round tube.
On one hand, the use of bent iron tube connects Belsa with the previous generation of rationalist designers, true pioneers of this construction technique. On the other, his way of working Manila cane –pure, clean, with barely wrapped joints– connects him to contemporary designers and manufacturers, and specifically to Expormim’s own particular way of understanding and handling rattan. Because of his mastery and modernity, Belsa stands as one of the forefathers of contemporary rattan design and it was our duty and our wish to pay him tribute as best we know: bringing back to life his Bench 202.
original 202 bench detail
original 202 bench detail
202 bench reissued
The value of craftsmanship: a shared passion
His humble origins and his will to create furniture worthy of the working class shaped a unique personality who transitioned between rationalism and tradition. More than that he was a shining light of the artisanal knowledge. While the remaining craftsmen were stuck in products that were outdated or unattractive to the aesthetic taste of the time, Belsa would rescue and bring up to date their traditional techniques to manufacture furniture from plant fibres. Their sense of modernity has outlived both their time and their author to turn them into everlasting classics.
Belsa’s philosophy and values resonate well with those of Expormim and that’s why we felt the need to reedit the famous Bench 202. Belsa’s products highlight not only the value of craftsmanship, but also the social responsibility of furniture and design. His designs were intended for the popular classes even if they were widely accepted by sectors of the educated bourgeoisie. The ideological component, often evident in architecture, tends to become blurry when it comes to furniture, but not in the case of Belsa’s designs. And that’s why they could never be irrelevant. Nor should they ever, or the name of Joaquim Belsa, be forgotten.
By reediting Bench 202, at Expormim we rewrite in the language of rattan the story of Joaquim Belsa and his legacy, a story of craftsmanship, rattan and Mediterranean design. The kind of stories we will never get tired of telling.
202 bench reissued
2024 saw the reedition of Bench 202, a rattan bench originally designed in 1961 by Catalan industrial designer Joaquim Belsa. Bench 202 is the result of our ongoing effort to revive, protect and promote our rich culture. Revisiting classics such as this bench is not only our way of giving the figure of Joaquim Belsa the prominence and acknowledgment he deserves, but also of reclaiming our Mediterranean roots, our history and our longstanding tradition of craftsmanship and design.
Belsa, master of bent rattan
Joaquim Belsa (Barcelona, 1929) studied at the Escola de la Llotja, nowadays Barcelona Arts and Crafts School, and soon developed an interest in design and furniture production. He started his professional career in a cabinetmaker’s shop where he discovered his passion for traditional materials such as natural wood, Manila cane and cattail, the materials that would shape his most iconic pieces of furniture and caught our attention in the first place.
In 1951, Joaquim founded the company Aresta. Aresta’s catalogue consisted of wooden furniture elements which picked up the baton of pre-Civil War rationalist local artists. During this period, Belsa’s production was based on a simple design concept: the single stroke. Linked to his personal approach to design (functionalist with Mediterranean features and references to popular furniture), this idea of using a single continuous line is easily translated into furniture thanks to the materials, either Manila cane or chrome-plated steel round tube.
On one hand, the use of bent iron tube connects Belsa with the previous generation of rationalist designers, true pioneers of this construction technique. On the other, his way of working Manila cane –pure, clean, with barely wrapped joints– connects him to contemporary designers and manufacturers, and specifically to Expormim’s own particular way of understanding and handling rattan. Because of his mastery and modernity, Belsa stands as one of the forefathers of contemporary rattan design and it was our duty and our wish to pay him tribute as best we know: bringing back to life his Bench 202.
original 202 bench detail
2024 saw the reedition of Bench 202, a rattan bench originally designed in 1961 by Catalan industrial designer Joaquim Belsa. Bench 202 is the result of our ongoing effort to revive, protect and promote our rich culture. Revisiting classics such as this bench is not only our way of giving the figure of Joaquim Belsa the prominence and acknowledgment he deserves, but also of reclaiming our Mediterranean roots, our history and our longstanding tradition of craftsmanship and design.
Belsa, master of bent rattan
Joaquim Belsa (Barcelona, 1929) studied at the Escola de la Llotja, nowadays Barcelona Arts and Crafts School, and soon developed an interest in design and furniture production. He started his professional career in a cabinetmaker’s shop where he discovered his passion for traditional materials such as natural wood, Manila cane and cattail, the materials that would shape his most iconic pieces of furniture and caught our attention in the first place.
In 1951, Joaquim founded the company Aresta. Aresta’s catalogue consisted of wooden furniture elements which picked up the baton of pre-Civil War rationalist local artists. During this period, Belsa’s production was based on a simple design concept: the single stroke. Linked to his personal approach to design (functionalist with Mediterranean features and references to popular furniture), this idea of using a single continuous line is easily translated into furniture thanks to the materials, either Manila cane or chrome-plated steel round tube.
original 202 bench detail
original 202 bench detail
202 bench reissued
The value of craftsmanship: a shared passion
His humble origins and his will to create furniture worthy of the working class shaped a unique personality who transitioned between rationalism and tradition. More than that he was a shining light of the artisanal knowledge. While the remaining craftsmen were stuck in products that were outdated or unattractive to the aesthetic taste of the time, Belsa would rescue and bring up to date their traditional techniques to manufacture furniture from plant fibres. Their sense of modernity has outlived both their time and their author to turn them into everlasting classics.
Belsa’s philosophy and values resonate well with those of Expormim and that’s why we felt the need to reedit the famous Bench 202. Belsa’s products highlight not only the value of craftsmanship, but also the social responsibility of furniture and design. His designs were intended for the popular classes even if they were widely accepted by sectors of the educated bourgeoisie. The ideological component, often evident in architecture, tends to become blurry when it comes to furniture, but not in the case of Belsa’s designs. And that’s why they could never be irrelevant. Nor should they ever, or the name of Joaquim Belsa, be forgotten.
By reediting Bench 202, at Expormim we rewrite in the language of rattan the story of Joaquim Belsa and his legacy, a story of craftsmanship, rattan and Mediterranean design. The kind of stories we will never get tired of telling.
joaquim belsa, the story of a pioneer of modern design
2024 saw the reedition of Bench 202, a rattan bench originally designed in 1961 by Catalan industrial designer Joaquim Belsa. Bench 202 is the result of our ongoing effort to revive, protect and promote our rich culture. Revisiting classics such as this bench is not only our way of giving the figure of Joaquim Belsa the prominence and acknowledgment he deserves, but also of reclaiming our Mediterranean roots, our history and our longstanding tradition of craftsmanship and design.
Belsa, master of bent rattan
Joaquim Belsa (Barcelona, 1929) studied at the Escola de la Llotja, nowadays Barcelona Arts and Crafts School, and soon developed an interest in design and furniture production. He started his professional career in a cabinetmaker’s shop where he discovered his passion for traditional materials such as natural wood, Manila cane and cattail, the materials that would shape his most iconic pieces of furniture and caught our attention in the first place.
In 1951, Joaquim founded the company Aresta. Aresta’s catalogue consisted of wooden furniture elements which picked up the baton of pre-Civil War rationalist local artists. During this period, Belsa’s production was based on a simple design concept: the single stroke. Linked to his personal approach to design (functionalist with Mediterranean features and references to popular furniture), this idea of using a single continuous line is easily translated into furniture thanks to the materials, either Manila cane or chrome-plated steel round tube.
On one hand, the use of bent iron tube connects Belsa with the previous generation of rationalist designers, true pioneers of this construction technique. On the other, his way of working Manila cane –pure, clean, with barely wrapped joints– connects him to contemporary designers and manufacturers, and specifically to Expormim’s own particular way of understanding and handling rattan. Because of his mastery and modernity, Belsa stands as one of the forefathers of contemporary rattan design and it was our duty and our wish to pay him tribute as best we know: bringing back to life his Bench 202.
original 202 bench detail
original 202 bench detail
202 bench reissued
The value of craftsmanship: a shared passion
His humble origins and his will to create furniture worthy of the working class shaped a unique personality who transitioned between rationalism and tradition. More than that he was a shining light of the artisanal knowledge. While the remaining craftsmen were stuck in products that were outdated or unattractive to the aesthetic taste of the time, Belsa would rescue and bring up to date their traditional techniques to manufacture furniture from plant fibres. Their sense of modernity has outlived both their time and their author to turn them into everlasting classics.
Belsa’s philosophy and values resonate well with those of Expormim and that’s why we felt the need to reedit the famous Bench 202. Belsa’s products highlight not only the value of craftsmanship, but also the social responsibility of furniture and design. His designs were intended for the popular classes even if they were widely accepted by sectors of the educated bourgeoisie. The ideological component, often evident in architecture, tends to become blurry when it comes to furniture, but not in the case of Belsa’s designs. And that’s why they could never be irrelevant. Nor should they ever, or the name of Joaquim Belsa, be forgotten.
By reediting Bench 202, at Expormim we rewrite in the language of rattan the story of Joaquim Belsa and his legacy, a story of craftsmanship, rattan and Mediterranean design. The kind of stories we will never get tired of telling.
202 bench reissued
2024 saw the reedition of Bench 202, a rattan bench originally designed in 1961 by Catalan industrial designer Joaquim Belsa. Bench 202 is the result of our ongoing effort to revive, protect and promote our rich culture. Revisiting classics such as this bench is not only our way of giving the figure of Joaquim Belsa the prominence and acknowledgment he deserves, but also of reclaiming our Mediterranean roots, our history and our longstanding tradition of craftsmanship and design.
Belsa, master of bent rattan
Joaquim Belsa (Barcelona, 1929) studied at the Escola de la Llotja, nowadays Barcelona Arts and Crafts School, and soon developed an interest in design and furniture production. He started his professional career in a cabinetmaker’s shop where he discovered his passion for traditional materials such as natural wood, Manila cane and cattail, the materials that would shape his most iconic pieces of furniture and caught our attention in the first place.
In 1951, Joaquim founded the company Aresta. Aresta’s catalogue consisted of wooden furniture elements which picked up the baton of pre-Civil War rationalist local artists. During this period, Belsa’s production was based on a simple design concept: the single stroke. Linked to his personal approach to design (functionalist with Mediterranean features and references to popular furniture), this idea of using a single continuous line is easily translated into furniture thanks to the materials, either Manila cane or chrome-plated steel round tube.
On one hand, the use of bent iron tube connects Belsa with the previous generation of rationalist designers, true pioneers of this construction technique. On the other, his way of working Manila cane –pure, clean, with barely wrapped joints– connects him to contemporary designers and manufacturers, and specifically to Expormim’s own particular way of understanding and handling rattan. Because of his mastery and modernity, Belsa stands as one of the forefathers of contemporary rattan design and it was our duty and our wish to pay him tribute as best we know: bringing back to life his Bench 202.
original 202 bench detail
2024 saw the reedition of Bench 202, a rattan bench originally designed in 1961 by Catalan industrial designer Joaquim Belsa. Bench 202 is the result of our ongoing effort to revive, protect and promote our rich culture. Revisiting classics such as this bench is not only our way of giving the figure of Joaquim Belsa the prominence and acknowledgment he deserves, but also of reclaiming our Mediterranean roots, our history and our longstanding tradition of craftsmanship and design.
Belsa, master of bent rattan
Joaquim Belsa (Barcelona, 1929) studied at the Escola de la Llotja, nowadays Barcelona Arts and Crafts School, and soon developed an interest in design and furniture production. He started his professional career in a cabinetmaker’s shop where he discovered his passion for traditional materials such as natural wood, Manila cane and cattail, the materials that would shape his most iconic pieces of furniture and caught our attention in the first place.
In 1951, Joaquim founded the company Aresta. Aresta’s catalogue consisted of wooden furniture elements which picked up the baton of pre-Civil War rationalist local artists. During this period, Belsa’s production was based on a simple design concept: the single stroke. Linked to his personal approach to design (functionalist with Mediterranean features and references to popular furniture), this idea of using a single continuous line is easily translated into furniture thanks to the materials, either Manila cane or chrome-plated steel round tube.
original 202 bench detail
original 202 bench detail
202 bench reissued
The value of craftsmanship: a shared passion
His humble origins and his will to create furniture worthy of the working class shaped a unique personality who transitioned between rationalism and tradition. More than that he was a shining light of the artisanal knowledge. While the remaining craftsmen were stuck in products that were outdated or unattractive to the aesthetic taste of the time, Belsa would rescue and bring up to date their traditional techniques to manufacture furniture from plant fibres. Their sense of modernity has outlived both their time and their author to turn them into everlasting classics.
Belsa’s philosophy and values resonate well with those of Expormim and that’s why we felt the need to reedit the famous Bench 202. Belsa’s products highlight not only the value of craftsmanship, but also the social responsibility of furniture and design. His designs were intended for the popular classes even if they were widely accepted by sectors of the educated bourgeoisie. The ideological component, often evident in architecture, tends to become blurry when it comes to furniture, but not in the case of Belsa’s designs. And that’s why they could never be irrelevant. Nor should they ever, or the name of Joaquim Belsa, be forgotten.
By reediting Bench 202, at Expormim we rewrite in the language of rattan the story of Joaquim Belsa and his legacy, a story of craftsmanship, rattan and Mediterranean design. The kind of stories we will never get tired of telling.
