In Zymna Voda, among the tall pines of the former German colony of Kaltwasser, lies the world’s largest storage facility of early-20th-century designer bentwood furniture. Here, every chair, table, or coat rack has its own biography. This space for research, restoration, and the promotion of late-19th and early-20th-century design was created by the team at SCHEBENTWOOD, with the support of the Yurii Stashkiv Foundation.
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Today, the storage facility functions as an exhibition space where visitors can see unique designer furniture, learn how restoration works, and understand the future trajectory of each object. Part of the project’s activity has a charitable mission: items from the collection are sold at auctions, and the proceeds are directed toward the rehabilitation of Ukrainian soldiers. In particular, fundraising is currently underway for the recovery of Oleksandr Latkivskyi, with a target of UAH 500,000.
A special highlight is the exhibition Josef Hoffmann Sitzmaschine, which is being shown in Lviv—and in Ukraine—for the first time ever. The exhibition is dedicated to one of the key objects of global design history and to Josef Hoffmann, an Austrian architect and designer, co-founder of Wiener Werkstätte, and a leading figure of Viennese Modernism. His concept of total design and rational form without historical stylization directly influenced the principles of the Bauhaus. The exhibition presents original objects, including furniture from the Fledermaus Café, tables and chairs from the early 20th century, as well as finds from Lviv that confirm the active circulation of Viennese design in the city.
A distinctive feature of the space is the possibility of direct interaction with the objects. Furniture is displayed in various states—from fully authentic pieces untouched by restoration to “stripped” objects that reveal bare beech wood, traces of time, signs of woodworm activity, and the conservation process itself. Visitors are guided through the significance of factory stamps, paper labels, plywood seats, and historically used colors such as honey, mahogany, and cherry tones.
The central exhibit of the show is the Sitzmaschine chair, designed for the Purkersdorf Sanatorium. A comparable example is held in the collection of MoMA in New York. The chair embodies the idea of total design, where architecture, interior, and furniture were conceived as a single whole. Particular attention is given to its construction, the adjustable seating positions, and authentic materials, including the original cushions.
The storage facility also functions as an educational space. It works with architecture and design students, organizes group visits, and offers guided tours where visitors can not only see the objects but also physically experience the form, weight, and ergonomics of furniture created more than a century ago.
The exhibition will run for six weeks and is open to visitors on weekends. It is a rare opportunity to see world-class design objects in Lviv, engage directly with design history, and support a project that brings together cultural heritage, education, and a charitable mission. The exhibition is open on weekends until January 25, 2026. Free transfer is available with prior registration. Location: Zymna Voda, 48 Yavorivska Street, PROSTIR LVIV. Opening hours: 12:00–18:00. Registration: /schebentwood. SCHEBENTWOOD — a bentwood furniture bureau.
Виставка триватиме шість тижнів і відкрита для відвідування у вихідні дні. Це рідкісна можливість побачити у Львові предмети світового рівня, доторкнутися до історії дизайну та долучитися до проєкту, що поєднує культурну спадщину, освіту й благодійну мету.
Виставка відкрита по вихідних до 25 січня 2026. За попередньої реєстрації організовується безкоштовний трансфер. Локація: Зимна Вода, вул. Яворівська, 48, PROSTIR LVIV. Години роботи: 12.00-18.00.
Реєстрація тут: / schebentwood
SCHEBENTWOOD - бюро гнутих меблів.
