The combination of outdoor sports and outdoor furniture represents one of the new declinations of the Ethimo-thought, and Patrick Norguet – who has known the company well for many years – has rewritten the history of the Ace collection, integrating important updates with sensitive added values and increasing the power of an already powerful and precise swing.
Ethimo is a brand that has made outdoor furniture design its mission. Patrick Norguet defines himself as an industrial designer, with a focus on the beauty of mechanical parts, assembly and functionality. The two join forces in Ace, presented for the first time in 2021, as an exclusive, effective way of furnishing outdoor sporting facilities. A design adventure that has generated a series of novel complements: the Ace collection designed by Patrick Norguet for Ethimo.
‘‘With this ambitious project, we wanted to make a new interpretation of design and comfort, factors that are all too often underestimated in sport contexts and seating. This is a collection of exceptional quality, composed of highly functional solutions that ‘accompany’ athletes during events, guaranteeing their wellbeing,” Patrick Norguet comments regarding his work with Ethimo. ‘‘Ace responds to a real need to construct a new, better sense of comfort for competitors during international events. With Ethimo, we have thus formulated a ‘system’ with clean, elegant design – like a perfect slice – to satisfy a wide range of requirements.”
The collection, shaped to provide appealing furnishings not only for tennis courts but also for residential spaces, swimming pools, clubhouses and exclusive resorts, is a contemporary reinterpretation of the functional elements usually placed near playing areas or pools, as well as in the zones that accommodate athletes, guests and fans.
The fulcrum of the collection is represented by an extremely flexible bench, ready for configurations to meet different needs; it can be completed with various accessories, like the tops made in black cork – a 100% natural and ecological material – the shoe rack, the bag holder, or the storage unit with an aluminium bottle rack. For the world of tennis, the bench is joined by seat for the chair umpire. The materials are natural teak and aluminium, where the latter is supplied in four colors: Black Red, Moss Green, Coffee Brown and Warm White.
For a ton sur ton effect, the seating can also be made in aluminium, without compromising comfort, in a range of paler hues with respect to the framework: Sport Red, Sport Green, Sport Brown and Sport Grey.
The welcoming form of the benches is the result of refined and unusual workmanship to produce a special curvature of the material, for both teak and aluminium. A synthesis of craftsmanship and industry, this method gives the seats unexpected volumes, while making it possible to create a pleasing effect of continuity. The benches are modular to encourage different configurations and personalized solutions.
