Created by the Ditzels for their own garden 70 years ago, the outdoor collection has been reimagined by Denmark’s green-tech design brand Mater
Mater is celebrating the 70th anniversary of the Havestol collection, which was designed by Nanna and Jørgen Ditzel in 1955. Since 2019, Mater has been producing the iconic chairs, benches and tables as the Ocean collection, with each colourway made using a different upcycled material.
The original outdoor collection featured a frame made of red or black lacquered steel tubes, paired with a laminated beech seat and a choice of ash or teak veneer. “Our parents designed this garden furniture when we were small children. They were a young couple who had moved into a house with a garden a few years before, so they simply needed a set of garden furniture, and when you are furniture designers, you naturally create what you need,” explains Dennie Ditzel, their daughter.
Mater’s Ocean collection honours the design, which has has been reimagined using steel and upcycled materials. The black and sand colourways are made from fishing nets and ocean plastic waste. The green version is produced from recycled medical plastic waste, such as discarded insulin pens. And the latest edition, in burnt red, incorporates post-consumer e-waste, addressing the growing global issue of e-waste consumption. The collection is engineered for disassembly, enabling each component to be recycled.
“At Mater, our goal is to continue challenging traditional conventions of furniture production,” Ketil Årdal, CEO of Mater, tells OnOffice. “Sustainable thinking is at the forefront of every decision we make, and we are constantly exploring innovative materials, transforming waste into beautiful, durable products.” Mater worked with Dennie Ditzel to look through the designers’ archives for pieces that could work with Mater’s innovative materials. “Nanna and Jørgen Ditzel’s influence on Danish design is profound and we take immense pride in upholding their legacy through Ocean,” adds Årdal.
“When something celebrates its 70th anniversary you might assume that it looks old and tired, but looking at Mater’s Ocean collection, you wouldn’t believe the age of this design,” says Dennie. To mark the anniversary, the Ocean collection has been photographed in Nanna Ditzel’s former holiday home in Hornbæk in Denmark, which was her summertime retreat between 1963 and 1987.
As Mater continues to grow the Ocean collection, the brand not only reaffirms the enduring relevance of Danish design but also paves the way for a more responsible future.
Photography by Line Klein
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