Phantom Hands BENTOTA LOUNGE CHAIR Teak easy chair without armrests with padded seat

The BENTOTA LOUNGE CHAIR was originally designed for the Bentota Beach Hotel, a resort destination developed by the Sri Lankan government in the late 1960s.‎ The Bentota Beach Hotel (now Cinnamon Bentota Beach) is a landmark of Bawa’s early modernist style.‎ Situated on a sandbank between the Indian Ocean and the Bentota River, the hotel's seamless integration with its surroundings and climate set a new standard for hotel design across South and Southeast Asia in the 1960s and ’70s.‎ Bawa’s reinterpretation removes the armrests of the Verandah chair, (Hansi Putuwa in Sinhalese), a colonial-era classic known for its high back, wide armrests, and woven cane seating.‎ Variations of this chair can be found across India, Southeast Asia, the Caribbean, South America, and Africa.‎ Originally made with woven cane seating, Bawa is known to have created three upholstered versions of this chair.‎ This re-edition by Phantom Hands is based on the version found in the upper suite of No.‎ 11, 33rd lane, Bawa’s home and later office in Colombo.‎ The updated design refines Bawa’s original by adjusting the thickness of the wooden frame to enhance ergonomics, improve comfort, and optimize production for contemporary manufacturing.‎ Preserving the exact side profile, the re-edition stays true to Bawa’s form while maintaining distinct elements for each variation - the turned crossbars differ slightly between the cane and upholstered versions, as in the original.‎ The black upholstery fabric is sourced from Barefoot, the textile brand founded by Bawa's friend and collaborator Barbara Sansoni.‎ A special cushion has been designed for the chair by the Phantom Hands design team, inspired by elements from Bawa's interiors.‎ Further info from manufacturer on BENTOTA LOUNGE CHAIR Phantom Hands