Pep Bonet Bertrán, Tuman Armchairs

PEP BONET BERTRAN (Barcelona, 1941).
Pair of "Tuman" armchairs, a model designed in 1969.
Frame made of black-painted steel flat bar.
Upholstered seats and backrests. Fabric-covered armrests.
The Museu del Disseny in Barcelona holds two examples of this model in its product design collection, attesting to its status as a representative piece of Spanish design heritage.
Condition: They show significant wear and tear due to use and the passage of time: abrasions, discoloration, cracks, and losses in the upholstery; surface rust and isolated losses of the black finish on the frame. See images.
Measurements: 72 x 62 x 100 cm.

With its characteristic suspended and sinuous silhouette, the Tuman armchair is one of the most representative designs of the renewal of Spanish furniture in the late 1960s. Pep Bonet conceived the model for the firm Levesta, combining an essential industrial construction with a strong focus on elasticity and comfort. Presented at the 1969 Delta Awards, it received an honorable mention from the jury.

The structure is formed by curved steel plates that simultaneously serve as the support, legs, and armrests, giving the piece a light and seamless appearance. The seat and backrest rest on a flexible system of metal elements arranged like a leaf spring, a solution that absorbs the user’s weight and accentuates the armchair’s enveloping character. The original model was produced by Levesta in steel and plaster, a material closely associated with domestic modernism in the 1960s and 1970s. Production was resumed by BD in 1991, with modifications made to the original version.

Pep Bonet Bertran is one of the leading figures in the renewal of Catalan architecture, interior design, and industrial design during the second half of the 20th century. A member of Studio PER and co-founder, in 1972, of BD Ediciones de Diseño—a company instrumental in the internationalization of Barcelona design—he developed a career characterized by constructive experimentation, economy of means, and the search for new relationships between structure, function, and comfort.

Bonet’s body of work encompasses furniture, objects, architecture, and interior design. His work is extensively documented by the Col·legi d’Arquitectes de Catalunya, which catalogs projects such as the COAC Historical Archive, Manufactures Llambés, and the BD Ediciones headquarters at Casa Thomas, several of which have been recognized with FAD Awards. This multidisciplinary approach places his work at the heart of the design culture that transformed Barcelona beginning in the late 1960s.