Crate

Origin

The Crate Collection is a family of outdoor chairs and tables by the Dutch architect and designer Gerrit Rietveld, who designed it to put surplus wooden shipping crates to use. HAY brings it back with Rietveld Originals in a collaboration that respects the original design, so the pieces keep the same aesthetic strength and precisely balanced proportions.

Rietveld was the son of a carpenter and was trained by his father as a cabinetmaker before setting up his own shop in 1917. He joined the De Stijl movement as he moved into architecture, and his aim of well-designed, affordable furniture for the masses is a mission that echoes HAY's own values.

Design language

Every item in the collection shares the same proportions and a transparent construction that keeps production costs down and makes assembly straightforward. Most pieces are knock-down designs that go together with screws alone, and the 45 x 45 cm low table is fully assembled. The collection is made in solid pinewood that has been dried to a humidity suited to outdoor use, then given a specially developed surface treatment: a primer and two coating layers of water-based lacquer. The collection is offered in five water-based lacquered pinewood finishes.

Their simplicity and spatial design follow Rietveld's architectural principles, and function and comfort come without the pieces absorbing space. The collection suits a wide variety of outdoor settings, private and public, and is qualified for contract use.

Key pieces

• Crate Dining Chair: 57.5 x 64 x 81 cm, seat height 45 cm
• Crate Dining Bench: 132 x 64 x 81 cm, seat height 45 cm
• Crate Dining Table: 180 x 89.5 x 74.5 cm, with a 230 cm long version at the same depth and height
• Crate Lounge Chair: 58 x 77 x 64.5 cm, seat height 32 cm
• Crate Lounge Sofa: 134.5 x 77 x 64.5 cm, seat height 32 cm
• Crate Low Table: 45 x 45 x 40 cm, and a 75.5 x 75.5 x 40 cm version
• Crate Side Table: 49.5 x 49.5 x 45 cm

Cushions

Optional Crate cushions are shaped to fit each model: a loose seat cushion, a folded cushion with an anti-slip backing, and a quilted cushion that fastens with Velcro under the seat and with two straps around the top of the chair frame. The solution-dyed olefin fabric has high UV resistance and a water-repellent finish; four fabric colours are offered, and the cushions are usable throughout the year.