What was so great about designer Benjamin Hubert’s Maritime Armchair that it drew accolades from Milan to Minsk at last year’s Salone? Perhaps it was the flawless craft, the sublime style, the exquisite form-as-function aesthetic of a piece “inspired by the Maritime World.” And what of this year’s incarnation which Hubert and manufacturer Casamania are calling Maritime S? With the addition of a pencil-thin padding to enrich the structure, the new version cannot fail to please.

Maritime S. Designed by Benjamin Hubert. Manufactured by Casamania.

Benjamin Hubert’s Maritime S Improves on an Award-Winning Design

Salone 2012 just having recently concluded, perhaps not all assessments are in, but preliminary opinion has Maritime S an excellent follow-up to its antecedent, as it enhances the comfortability of the original without sacrificing an iota of the visual and textural appeal that made Maritime an exhibit favorite.

Maritime S retains the essential quality of last year’s piece. That is to say, both feature exquisite crafting of oak ply into a form that evokes a great icon of artisanship—a ship’s hull. “With curves following the grain of the timber,” both Maritime and Maritime S show the same kind of structure-on-display aesthetic that’s so impressive in sea-going vessels.

In fact, and just like a ship, the supporting structure of Maritime S is on the exterior, a design that not only makes for an enduring aesthetic but also conserves resources—“the ribs allow for a structurally robust chair with minimum use of material.”

But while Maritime revels in the purity of its bentwood structure, Maritime S embellishes it ever-so-slightly. By dressing up the gorgeous rib-work with an inviting palette of colors (translucent dyed colorways including grey, blue, white, green, and black, in addition to the original natural oak), Maritime S expands the aesthetic palette while conserving the essential purity of form that made Maritime so elegant and beautiful.

About the Manufacturer: Casamania—as you might infer from the name—is richly enthusiastic about their endeavor to create residential furniture. The Italian company was founded in 1984—a year synonymous with dystopian visions of the future. However, by working in concert with international designers, Casamania is able to “move forward in building a dynamic and promising future.” (So much for Orwell’s vision). The manufacturer offers a “universe of objects”: from modular seating to lighting and accessories. By using punches of color, Casamania brings a dash of unexpected play to any interior.