The seating survey was pursued mainly in the ECOSOC Chamber, UN headquarters, for three days in April 2022. The original delegates' chairs, designed by Elias Svedberg, made at NK workshops, Sweden, were the main priority, together with the chairs replicated in the 1970ies and 1990ies. Another four delegates' chairs, partly dismantled, were observed in the upholstery workshop, and the number of armchairs in all was 213. Two collapsed chairs were also available for observation in the workshop area. According to oral information, chairs beyond repair are used as spare parts or templates for replacements. All delegates' chairs were scrutinised individually and in detail, including the construction of the wood frame, upholstery, signs of change, and their present condition assessed. The advisory chairs and the recently supplied secretary chairs were observed globally. Their current state was evaluated on their overall appearance.
All individually observed chairs are marked in the spreadsheet (Appendix 2) with symbols depicting their essential construction details and assessed condition. The characters are drawn within [brackets].
Supplementary data has been available in documents. The head of the Facilities Management Service, cabinetmaker, upholsterer, and indoor climate engineer supplied oral information on housekeeping and maintenance routines, answered specific questions about the use of the Chamber, provided samples, and facilitated the survey.
The survey aimed to identify the different generations of delegates' chairs, their construction and material components. Secondly, to assess the damage and formulate alternatives for their future care, restoration, or replacement that consider their cultural-historical values and their significance for the interior design of the ECOSOC Chamber. Moreover, maintenance and comfort, useability, sustainability, and fair trade are essential.
The outcome of this survey is partly compared with the one pursued in 2013, just before the re-inauguration of the Chamber and after the UN General Master Plan was completed in the room. Albeit the 2013 survey was limited to observation of exterior faces, the comparison facilitated the damage assessment and evaluation of the rate of deterioration.
An overview of the ECOSOC Chamber is available in Appendix 2, and the photo documentation in Appendix 3, Figures 1─20.
The wood frame
The results show that 76 (36%) of the delegates' armchairs suffer from extensive deterioration of the wood frame. Due to three [3b] or four [4b] unstable joints between the legs and the rails, they need immediate repair or have to be removed. Only 10% are rigid [D]. At least three synthetic glues are visible, showing that the joints have repeatedly become loose and re-adhered. In attempts to reinforce the leg joints, wood dowels and screws are inserted from the rails' insides and often perpendicular to corner braces. Screws are assumed to show only temporary improvement and maybe re-considered.
The upholstery
The results further show that the Enviroleather™ cover has not withstood the abrasion from use and mechanical wear. All armchairs show signs of deterioration [scale from green to red]. No cover material is in its pristine condition. It is a matter of time before the chairs in the best state (9%) [green] have deteriorated beyond the acceptable. A little less than 80% of the delegates' chairs need replacing the cover [yellow, orange] and another 4% [red] immediately. The padding is lumpy on most chairs. The synthetic stuffing seems excessively used, leading to a less well-defined overall shape. Slipping seams show in some instances between armrests and backs. The secondary decorative nails have rounded heads that appear wider than the original. The concealed stitching with piped cord seems to have been replaced with a thicker type. Old photos show a thinner version. All such details add to the poor impression of the design features and the deviation from what was initially intended.
The 182 advisory chairs' cover is less deteriorated but assessed within the yellow-orange range. The cover material on the twelve secretary chairs are in better shape, but the chair is described as less comfortable than desired. However, the interior's original colour scheme and overall aesthetics may have to be considered if the ambition is to keep the "Swedishness" and sense of time in the Chamber.
The conclusion is that, despite the final decision, the extant chairs need to be temporarily substituted with chairs supplied locally. The replacement chairs must meet several criteria, perhaps to a lesser degree than the permanent seating. The requirements include flexibility, comfort, sustainability, and design quality. The long-term alternatives for the current seating are threefold; to restore all delegate chairs, restore a selection of chairs (preferably NK products only), or refurbish the Chamber with functional, solid yet flexible, user-friendly, high-quality furniture with Swedish features.