Uganda gets a fair share of imitation products. When I’m buying materials for the construction sites or spare parts or even soap I have to ask for “Original” so they bring the good stuff. Even then it takes a discerning eye to pick out the fakes. A few months ago I decided instead of fighting the black market I should contribute to it.
One of my favorite mid-century modern designers is a Danish guy named Jens Risom. He designed a simple yet elegant line of chairs with wood frames and cotton webbing (click here to see them). The designs were so good that the chairs are still in production. The line includes lounge chairs, dining chairs, and foot rests. However they are ridiculously expensive. The dining chair that I copied sells for over $600. I knew I could cut out about 95% off the price.
I looked at all the pictures I could find online and I actually found some rough dimensions. I put the pictures into a design program and scaled them to the stated dimensions. In the program I drew on top of the picture to get the final dimensions. Then I set to work in the wood shop. The wood is a local hardwood called Mvule (pronounced Muh Voo lee). It was given a brushed wax finish. I found some red webbing in Kampala by going shop by shop and following leads down dark alley ways until I found what seemed to be the country’s only webbing dealer. One of our carpenters helped me with some of the work and finishing the frame. I tacked on the webbing strips and ta-da, a [cheap] imitation of a Danish mid-century chair! I spent about $30 or about 5% of the cost of buying a real one!
One thing that frustrates me about Uganda is a lack of creativity in the craftsmanship. Carpenters, tailors, shop owners, cooks, actually just about everyone seems to be following stipulated patterns and deviation from those ‘tried and true’ products is rare. This chair is an effort of showing that doing something different and creative is beautiful. It’s also trying to demonstrate that how you use the skills you have (cutting, joining, shaping and finishing material) is only limited by your imagination. Maybe, more accurately, I’m showing you’re not even limited to your imagination because you can steal the ideas of others! Don’t re-invent the wheel repeat it- but make sure it’s a really cool wheel before you copy it!
Designed in Denmark, built in Africa. Don’t tell the cops.
Brice Aarrestad 
Brice, this is a awesome on a lot of levels. Your parents told us about the project and I found your web site straight away on google. Are you taking orders on line yet. :-). Well done.