The latest collection by Singapore-based firm Atelier Pendhapa is so unique, you can’t help but feel drawn in by its unusual shapes and proportions. Avant-garde yet still functional and comfortable, each piece is a conversation starter. Pendhapa is currently displaying core “collectible” pieces from its Javanese black teak line at Paris gallery Zebres, including a console, tables, stools, chairs, a variety of small vessels, and a sofa.

All three pieces of Atelier Pendhapa's black teak Khanda Table brought together.

Continue reading below
Our Featured Videos

Atelier Pendhapa's black teak Khanda Table separates into three distinct pieces.

It’s immediately clear why such pieces would be displayed in a gallery: they are indisputable works of art. The sculptural “Khanda” table is a standout, consisting of three separate black wood pieces that can either be pushed together or separated for flexible usage. “Khanda is a playful yet grounded piece with a certain sense of timelessness in its solid mass,” explain the designers. “Its function varies from a low table, a pair of stools, a bench… it is a dynamic piece of furniture which evolves in a room by changing its function over time.”

Black teak Cuddle stools by Atelier Pendhapa come together and separate depending on the users' preferred proximity.

A pair of stools called “Cuddle” function much the same way as the Khanda table, coming together like living creatures seeking comfort. The makers explain that the design was born “as a story between two beings,” bringing two seated users together in close proximity or separating them as more autonomous beings.

Black teak La Nuit Étoilée armchair by Atelier Pendhapa.

Likewise, the alluring “La Nuit Étoilée” armchair embraces the user with a mysterious shape and a color palette inspired by the midnight sky. “As we approach it from the back, it appears like a piece of the moon, levitating in space,” says Atelier Pendhapa. “ [The inside] reveals a radically contrasting interior in soft night blue. A swivel mechanism is concealed within its solid dark wooden structure.”

Sturdy black teak Mast chair featured by Atelier Pendhapa.

The “Mast” chair aims to bring balance to the body with its solidity, which “anchors the object in space.” Its curved design consists of just two elements, a base, and a circular back that folds around the body to provide a sense of intimacy. The “Anchor” chair achieves a similar effect in a slightly different shape, with a lower center of gravity and a soft blue velvet seat.

Atelier Pendhapa's sculptural Sarani trio consists of a black teak coffee table, vase, and bowl.

The “Sarani” trio of objects takes its name from the Sanskrit word for “an endless spiritual path,” and includes three pieces designed with this notion of infinity embodied in their curving shapes. Atelier Pendhapa collaborated with a local fine metal craftsman to bring the objects to life, pairing their signature black teak with Kuningan metal. The objects include a striking coffee table, a vase, and a bowl.

Atelier Pendhapa's skeletal black and white Naksathra sofa.

Atelier Pendhapa's black and white L’Écorce bench, complete with a built-in side table.

Atelier Pendhapa's Admani bench, made in collaboration with artist Helena Bajaj Larsen.

Other pieces by Atelier Pendhapa are just as captivating, like the “Naksathra” sofa with its skeletal black frame and structured white cushions, the graphic black and white “L’Écorce” bench with its built-in side table, and the invigorating “Admani” bench, a collaboration with artist Helena Bajaj Larsen.

Antonin Hautefort and Ignatio Tenggara, founders of Atelier Pendhapa.

Founded in 2019, Atelier Pendhapa consists of designer/architect duo Antonin Hautefort of France and Ignatio Tenggara of Indonesia. Hautefort and Tenggara bring together their diverse cultural backgrounds and a shared passion for local craftsmanship to design spaces and objects that evolve over time, yet feel timeless and always in dialogue with their context.