kettal arc

geometry of one curve

The whole design follows from one decision. The backrest traces an arc of constant radius, the plainest curve there is, and wraps from one armrest around to the other. That gives the chair a sheltered feel without a tall back or heavy sides. Proportions stay restrained, and the frame keeps the familiar outline of an armchair, so Arc stands next to older furniture and next to new pieces with the same ease.

Braided strips are stretched across the back. Air moves through them, so the back breathes better than a solid pad on a hot afternoon, and rain passes through instead of collecting. The seat works differently: polyurethane foam wrapped in fabric that matches the cushion, and the cushion cover is removable for washing. Aluminum under all of it means no rust, even on a deck a short walk from the ocean.

The two versions share the same back and answer different needs. The chair with armrests is the one to pull up to a table, and a Kettal Arc dining chair repeated around a long top turns the table into a row of matching curves. The armchair with armrests belongs in a reading corner, beside a low table or at the far end of a pool deck, where people stay seated longer.

Arc is compact, so two chairs and a small table fit on a narrow balcony. The frame is light enough to move as the shade shifts across the day, a small thing that decides how often a chair gets used. Since the collection has only seats, it is usually paired with a table from another family of Kettal patio furniture, and both can go on the same quote.

A back drawn with a single compass stroke.