Noah Chair is a minimal chair created by South Africa-based practice STUDIO KÁJA. The Noah Chair represents a quiet revolution in everyday furniture design—its blend of “stain-resistant and durable fabric made of recycled polyester and organic cotton” speaks to a contemporary approach where sustainability isn’t sacrificed for livability. Lategan’s work exists at the intersection of conscious consumption and domestic comfort, a space increasingly vital in our era of environmental reckoning.

What distinguishes this chair from countless other sustainable offerings is its commitment to craft integrity. The FSC-approved ash wood frame connects the piece to traditional furniture-making lineage, while its contemporary upholstery techniques demonstrate how established crafts evolve to incorporate ecological imperatives. This tension—between timelessness and urgency—gives the chair its cultural resonance.

“I wanted to create pieces that could become part of family stories without burdening future generations with their environmental impact,” Lategan has noted in discussing her design philosophy. This approach positions the Noah Chair within a broader shift in contemporary design practice where makers increasingly view their responsibility as extending beyond the immediate user to encompass planetary concerns.

Cape Town’s emergence as a design hub offers crucial context for understanding this work. The chair embodies a regional craft revival that draws from both indigenous traditions and global sustainable design discourse. The “time-honoured techniques” referenced in Lategan’s materials aren’t preserved merely as heritage exercises but are actively evolving through their application to contemporary ecological challenges.