Wood in motion - a chair between construction and raw wood look
The oak chair by MADER DESIGN combines minimalist furniture design, precise cabinetmaking craftsmanship and an expressive wooden construction. For the light, natural unfinished-wood look, the surface was treated with OLI-NATURA® Scandic-Oil.
It began with a personal challenge. While still completing his apprenticeship, Marcel Bader designed and made the oak chair. In 2021, the chair was selected for “Holz bewegt”, the northern German young talent competition for design with wood, and presented at the Museum of Work in Hamburg. A total of four examples were made.
The chair draws its character from what remains visible: curved and layered wooden elements, clear lines, edges, grain and construction.
For MADER DESIGN, good design begins with the material. Wood grows over many years, and every piece is different. Accordingly, the design is restrained: little distraction, clear proportions and details that are not hidden.
It is not just the shape that matters. Texture, edges and wood grain also determine the overall appearance. The commitment to quality extends from the first cut to the finish.
For the surface, OLI-NATURA® Scandic-Oil was used. The VOC-free oil produces minimal darkening and a light look that remains as close as possible to untreated oak.
This suits a chair in which the wood and construction take center stage. The surface remains understated, while the grain and structure stay visible.
Even five years later, the design therefore still looks remarkably contemporary: minimalist, precisely crafted and close to the material.
ABOUT MARCEL BADER
Marcel Bader, born in 1999 in Windhoek, is a master cabinetmaker and furniture designer. He completed his practical training in Schleswig-Holstein and later attended the master school for cabinetmaking in Munich.
He attracted attention with his own designs at an early stage: in 2021, he won the “Die Gute Form” design competition in Hamburg/Schleswig-Holstein with his journeyman’s piece and took third place at national level in the German Championships for carpentry and cabinetmaking. In 2022, he received the “Fittings” special award at “Die Gute Form” as well as an award at the dds Prize of the Arthur Franke Foundation in the “perfectly crafted” category.
With his masterwork “square 80”, he continued along this path. The sculptural sideboard made of ash, walnut, brass and glass received a design award from the Munich Master School in 2025 and was selected for the Upper Bavarian Advancement Award for Applied Arts. In 2026, the trade magazine dds devoted an extensive profile to the piece and his career.
Under MADER DESIGN, Marcel develops his own furniture, combining precise craftsmanship with a clear and distinctive design language. In 2026, he also presented his path to becoming a master craftsman at HOLZ-HANDWERK in Nuremberg. He is now returning to Namibia. And we are quite certain that we will be hearing much more from Marcel Bader.
Publisher: OLI Lacke GmbH
09.09.2026