reMade in Stratford is a project that celebrates Stratford’s manufacturing history. It involves the re-creation of chairs manufactured in Stratford in the mid-20th century, a time when almost 20% of all fine furniture in Canada was manufactured here.
This Lounge Chair re-creates one manufactured in Stratford in 1946 by the Canadian Wooden Aircraft company (later became part of Imperial Furniture). Imperial was one of five furniture factories in Ontario which were converted to wartime production for the manufacture of moulded plywood components for Mosquito bombers. Representing the first examples in Canada of moulded plywood for domestic use, this line of chairs was designed by two Polish airmen, W. Czerwinski and H. Stykolt. Their furniture was displayed in 1946 at an exhibition entitled ‘Design in the Household’ at the Art Gallery of Ontario and in the ‘Design in Industry’ exhibition at the National Gallery in Ottawa. The Lounge Chair is part of the permanent collection of the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts and the Royal Ontario Museum.
The reMade in Stratford project was made possible through many supporters including Hunter Steel Sales Ltd, Orr Insurance & Investment, David & Elizabeth Kerr, Dan & Carolyn Mathieson, Brent & Teri Shackleton, Robert G. Lemon, Aleena Joy, Deanna Horton, City of Stratford Public Works, and the Rotary Club of Stratford. The initiative is co-funded and managed by Destination Stratford.
More information regarding the re-made chair is coming soon!