Client : ALKI
Year : 2025
Type: Design Furniture Reedition — Nestor Basterretxea
"Uhin is a stool born from the reissue of a model by the Basque designer and artist Nestor Basterretxea. On the occasion of his centenary in 2025, Alki wished to honor one of his creations through this reissue.
Studio Iratzoki was thus commissioned to redesign the model, with slightly adjusted proportions.
I was entrusted with this deceptively simple project. The first step required faithfully reproducing the design based on photographs, an original model of the stool loaned by Nestor Basterretxea’s family, and a piece provided by the Artium Museum in Gasteiz.
Following this, the dimensions were adjusted to meet modern comfort standards. The challenge lay in preserving the essence of the original design while adapting it to manufacturing constraints, without altering its soul.
The stool was unveiled during the inauguration of Alki’s new workshop in Larressore. For the occasion, the temporary exhibition space was entirely dedicated to it a beautiful tribute to this pioneer of Basque design.
More than six decades after its creation, the Uhin stool originally designed in the heart of the Basque Country is back in production. Initially created for the Espiral boutique in Donostia, this timeless piece pays tribute to the visionary spirit of its creator, Nestor Basterretxea, as much as to the region that inspired it.
Le tabouret basque Uhin réédité par Alki
Intramuros
"The Uhin stool is not only comfortable but also graphic and elegant, featuring two legs that turn slightly inward. The original design was timeless and its journey into the future was already written. We simply adjusted its construction by using beech for the internal structure while keeping an oak veneer, a timber that was very dear to Nestor Basterretxea. We also modernized the manufacturing process. Back in the 1960s, it was entirely handmade. Today, a custom mold has been developed, and the piece is produced by a small workshop in the Basque Country that is part of the Alki group. The other update lies in the colors. When Nestor Basterretxea first imagined it, it was available only in raw wood or an industrial orange. The 2025 version comes in twelve shades, ranging from light oak to the original orange, alongside Klein blue and Alki’s signature color palette."
Jean Louis Iratzoki
Uhin
