Onda Rocking Chairs at Roosevelt Library
Created for the new Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library in Medora, North Dakota, the Onda rocking chairs reinterpret one of Theodore Roosevelt’s favorite furniture types for a contemporary public setting. Positioned in the open-air Breezeway overlooking the Badlands, the chairs connect the library’s architecture and landscape with Roosevelt’s personal history.
Designed and made by Marco Bogazzi
Portland-based designer and master woodworker Marco Bogazzi designed the Onda rocker in 2021 and made the chairs for the library. Following several rounds of prototyping with the project team, the design was refined for demanding public use. Traditional mortise-and-tenon joinery is reinforced with embedded fasteners, while mitered corners protect the end grain and removable nylon glides reduce wear beneath the rockers.
Responsibly sourced wood for the outdoors
Lunawood Thermally Modified White Ash was selected to support the project’s goal of using responsibly and domestically sourced materials while providing reliable performance in an exposed outdoor environment. Produced in the USA from North American hardwood and modified using only heat and steam, the material offers enhanced dimensional stability and resistance to decay without chemical treatment. The chairs were left unstained and unfinished, allowing the wood’s natural brown tone to gradually develop a silver-grey patina through exposure to sunlight and weather.
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