A Hong Kong designer, a champion jockey and a Japanese master woodworker are behind The ZP Chair, a limited-edition armchair that turns the rhythms, rituals and physicality of horse racing into a functional piece of furniture.
An armchair earns its place in a room through silhouette, comfort and the quality of its materials. The ZP Chair brings all three into play: a low-slung timber frame, saddle-toned leather and deliberately uneven legs give it the presence to hold its own in a room, while its construction carries the traces of a racing life. Designed by Clement C Studio‘s founder Clement Cheng with champion jockey Zac Purton, the limited-edition piece takes cues from the sport through its proportions, materials and silhouette rather than overt motifs or logos.
Only three have been made—one belongs to Purton and another to Cheng. The small edition keeps the project intimate and considered, positioning each chair as both a working armchair and a record of the collaboration behind it.
The chair is part of Cheng’s When Art Meets Horse Racing series, which draws on familiar elements of the sport — jockey silks, stables, horseshoes and tack — to create collectible design pieces. It was previously shown at Tai Kwun alongside Deconstructed Silks, The Stall Screen and The Horseshoe Ring Table.
Read more: How the Hong Kong Jockey Club is Taking Racing Culture Beyond the Track
Turning a gallop into an armchair
The chair’s connection to racing lies in its structure rather than in printed or decorative motifs. Its four legs meet the ground at different heights and angles, recalling a horse in mid-stride. From the side, the chair appears to lean forwards; seen from other angles, its seemingly precarious form resolves into a carefully balanced structure.
Purton helped refine the seat height, proportions and weight distribution. The chair sits low to the ground and has a compact profile informed by the rider’s physicality, yet it is built for everyday use rather than display alone.
From saddle to reading corner
The racing references emerge on closer inspection. A leather side pocket recalls a saddle and provides space for magazines and books. The backrest takes its cue from the line of a riding crop, while an integrated reading light makes the chair suitable for a study or a quiet corner of the living room.
A drawer adds a more personal note. Lined in silk, it features the racing colours associated with horses from Purton’s career: Little Bridge, Ambitious Dragon, Military Attack, Aerovelocity, Admire Rakti, Beauty Generation, Ka Ying Rising, Fellowship and Exultant.
For Hong Kong racing fans, these are more than names on a list. They recall major race days, winning partnerships and different eras at Sha Tin and Happy Valley. The chair’s exterior captures the racecourse’s energy; its drawer holds the memories that come with it.
Racing demands quick decisions from both horse and jockey; this is a piece designed for the slower pace of home. Its references to the sport go beyond surface decoration, drawing instead on the focus, rhythm and discipline associated with life on the track.
Hong Kong vision, Japanese craftsmanship
Cheng developed the concept, while Purton brought a jockey’s understanding of balance, movement and proportion. Nakamura translated their ideas into a working piece of furniture.
The chair is designed to be repaired rather than replaced. Its timber, leather, metal and textile elements can be removed individually, allowing damaged sections to be restored or replaced over time. The timberwork was completed at a solar-powered workshop in Japan before the chair was finished in Hong Kong. Water-based adhesives and coatings were used throughout, while recycled cardboard and reusable fabric were selected for transport packaging.
Shaped by Hong Kong’s racing culture and brought to life through Japanese woodwork, The ZP Chair is not memorabilia dressed up as furniture. It is a considered armchair, where movement, craftsmanship and personal history are built into the form.
