Our goal with Port was to design a dining chair that celebrated the natural beauty of wood in a unique way. In looking at early sketches and ideas we zeroed in on this design for its clarity of form and shape. When viewed from the side, Port’s shape reminds us of two sails ( the bentwood seat and back) attached to a single mast (the rear leg). We refined proportions, angles and curvatures through a series of full-sized prototypes and 3D-printed scale models. Multiple rounds of “test-sitters” resulted in surprising comfort. The upward curvature of the seat not only accentuates comfort, but adds strength and structure in how it connects to the rear leg. This is what design is all about to us