"Rare 'Noé' stool by Nigel Coates for SCP, 1988"

Rare "Noah" stool, designed in 1988 by British architect and designer Nigel Coates for SCP (Sheridan Coakley Products) in the UK. This stool illustrates Coates' unique approach to postmodern design, combining an almost drawn expressiveness with a deliberately raw material language. A fine tubular steel structure forms the base, with one leg deviating from conventional geometry through a pronounced sinuous curve. The sculpted ash seat and curved backrest bring warmth and an organic touch to the industrial steel structure. The construction is particularly expressive: the wood retains its visible grain and hand-shaped contours, while the exposed fasteners and clear varnished steel emphasize the authenticity of the materials. Depending on the angle of view, the stool oscillates between a sober architectural structure and a much more playful, anthropomorphic silhouette. Designed during a pivotal period of British postmodern design, the Noah chair is an early example of experimental furniture produced by SCP, a studio founded by Sheridan Coakley, which became an essential platform for a new generation of British designers. A sculptural piece par excellence, it is suitable for both functional seating and the contemplation of a design object in its own right.