Durable design: still possible?

A simple and good design can last and last. Consider the qualities of a BC Telephones operator’s chair from the 1930s:

Environmentally defensible. It is made primarily of a renewable resource—wood—and is so durable that, after decades, it still withstands daily use.
Functional. Originally, at BC Tel, this chair fit a small space, swivelled so the operator […]