Visually delicate, yet unyieldingly strong.
Bronze Age Chair
From the Bronze Age Collection
Client
Tjep. internal project
Design
Tjep.
Design team
Frank Tjepkema, Yannic Alidarso
Production
Bronsgieterij Stijlaart
Year
2014
Hand-Crafted Homage to Ancient Bronze
The Bronze Age collection showcases meticulously hand-crafted pieces, rooted in traditional techniques that once defined human survival. Each work, forged entirely from bronze—the material that heralded civilization’s dawn—stands as a labor-intensive creation, blending heritage with artistry.
Countering Digital Trends with Enduring Value
“For this project, I sought to counter the technology-driven trends fueled by digital innovations like 3D printing. Bronze, with its inherent value, embodies sustainability: it is either cherished and preserved or melted down and reborn, never discarded,” says Frank Tjepkema, Tjep.’s founder and lead designer. These pieces might even carry the essence of ancient bronze swords, remelted and reimagined.
Sustainable Strength in Classic Forms
The collection’s bronze foundation evokes stability, strength, and endless recyclability, transforming classic furniture forms into a modern narrative. Engaging with contemporary issues like climate change or nuclear fallout, these pieces feel both timeless and urgently relevant, balancing tradition with today’s challenges.
Sculptural Elegance with Resilient Power
The result is a series of sculptural works that marry pure, elegant aesthetics with robust physicality. Like Tjep.’s Clockwork Love or Oogst series, they ask: do these pieces bear the scars of great calamity, or stand as testaments to tradition’s enduring power, like an ancient bronze sword?
Forging Futures, One Piece at a Time
Bold yet timeless, the Bronze Age collection proves craftsmanship can endure. Explore more of Tjep.’s visionary designs on Tjep.com, where heritage meets innovation.