I was fortunate enough to stay in the Maldives in the Indian Ocean over Christmas, a truly unforgettable experience I’m glad I had the chance to do before the islands are inevitably lost to the waves some time this century (a fate shared by similar low-lying islands in the Pacific).
During the trip I visited Rasdhoo in Rasdhoo Atoll, a colourful and friendly fishing village/island that has cleverly taken advantage of the passing tourist trade with guided tours and numerous souvenir shops. Scattered around the island were some unusual net-covered frames, which I assumed at first to be a kind of rack or storage system. But after seeing someone sitting in one I realised they were actually seats for public use. Given the frequent rainfall and abundance of spare/old netting (since most of the village’s income is from fishing), a net-chair is an amazingly resourceful, economical, and effective design solution. Formed plastic chairs are relatively expensive to produce, and have a habit of retaining water after heavy rain; two problems elegantly solved by the net-chair. Great design in an unexpected place!
