A chair is usually regarded with as much interest as a leaf on a tree. But you do stop to admire a leaf with extraordinary hues, patterns, or shapes, right? There have been visionaries in the industry who wanted you to stop and regard a chair not merely as a seat, but as a piece of art, something to revere!
A few legends from the field of architecture created chairs fit for our favorite movies and shows, and undoubtedly, our homes. These furniture pieces are still talked about even after decades for their futuristic designs that transcended the boundaries of time and space.
From Frank Llyod Wright to Zaha Hadid, numerous legends from the architecture industry dipped their toes in furniture design; we thank the stars, they did! Otherwise, we wouldn’t have stunning chair pieces like the Barcelona Chair or the Eames Lounge Chair. You may own one of these chairs or have seen them in pop culture without knowing their origin or who created them. So let’s get to know the 10 defining chairs designed by architects.
Robie 1 Chair by Frank Llyod Wright
Frank Lloyd Wright is a legend needing no introduction. The American architect and designer is credited with over 1,000 structure designs in his 70 years of creative work. The Robie 1 chair designed in 1908 is one of these celebrated pieces by Wright. The chair was relaunched in 1986 and is still manufactured by Cassina in Italy with a stark, formal elegance that echoes the original design.
Carrying Wright’s design ethos with a tall back and strong uprights, the Robie 1 chair was created for the dining room of Frederick C. Robie’s home. The designer intended to define the area around the dining table with the chair. The tall-backed chairs have slatted backrests that extend down the legs of the chair nearly touching the ground, making the dining area more intimate than the rest of the room.
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LC 3 Armchair by Le Corbusier
Swiss-French architect and designer Charles-Édouard Jeanneret, known as Le Corbusier in the design world, created the LC3 armchair for Cassina in collaboration with Pierre Jeanneret and Charlotte Perriand in 1928. The chair was nothing short of revolutionary with its chromed-steel frame and lush down-wrapped cushions, which give it the appearance of a giant quilt fitted onto a metal frame.
The geometric structural drawing for the chair followed the golden ratio, resulting in a play of empty and full spaces that were innate in Le Corbusier’s early style. LC3 armchair has four cushions free of connections held by the exoskeleton of a frame. Over time, multiple iterations were made by the trio of this iconic furniture.
Barcelona Chair by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe
Barcelona chair is one of the most frequently featured chairs in interior design and in pop culture as well. The famous chair made appearances in James Bond movies and TV show Suits. The 1929 chair was a brainchild of the popular Bauhaus architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and his longtime partner-companion, architect, and designer Lilly Reich.
The Barcelona chair design features two chrome-plated flat steel bars. When seen from the side, the chair’s back dips into a curve as it forms the front legs. The front leg creates a gentle S-shape as it goes to form the back leg, intersecting the front leg. The chair has a cantilevered seat and back clad in leather upholstery with welt and button details. Even after nearly a century later, the chair is beloved for its simple elegance and stands as an icon of the modern movement.
Eames Lounge Chair by Charles and Ray Eames
A true icon of modern design, the Eames Lounge Chair was designed by the most influential multidisciplinary designers and architects of their time, the work and life partners, Charles and Ray Eames. The designer duo made significant contributions to modern architecture and furniture, and the Eames Lounge Chair was a defining moment for the designers and the industry. It is one of the best chairs designed by architects.
Made of black leather and laminate plywood, the original furniture has a two-directional design. The chair employs three curved plywood shells clad in leather cushioning to offer a comfortable and laid-back experience. The headrest, backrest, and seat are all identical in proportion. Over the years, the chair became a universally recognized form that brings comfort and style to interiors.
Also Read: 10 Famous Chairs in Movies and Pop Culture
Egg Chair by Arne Jacobsen
Not to be confused with Thor Larsen’s Ovalia Egg Chair seen in Will Smith’s Men in Black, Arne Jacobsen’s Egg Chair was a pivotal point in the designer’s career. Debuted in the reception areas of the Royal Hotel in Copenhagen in 1958, the perfectionist architect created the chair first from clay to perfect its shape. Later, Jacobsen created the chair out of a strong foam inner shell under leather upholstery.
The first 50 editions of the chair were made in a variety of colorful fabric and leather upholsteries. Its classic appeal comes from the exquisitely paired upholstery options that provide a sleek finish to the chair’s sculptural curves. The Egg chair has established itself as one of the most famous mid-century furniture designs. The iconic chair is still in production by Danish furniture manufacturer Fritz Hansen.
Louis Ghost Chair by Philippe Starck
A ghost of a chair, Philippe Starck’s Louis Ghost Chair is an aptly named transparent piece of furniture. Created in 2002 for Italian furniture manufacturer Kartell, the iconic Lucite Louis Ghost chair is heavily inspired by the Louis XV style furniture. The chair rose to fame and took its designer with it to create functioning furniture by injecting polycarbonate in a single mold, which was a massive feat.
“The Louis Ghost chair was produced by our collective subconscious and it is only the natural result of our past, our present, and our future,” Starck said. Even with its crystal-clear and fleeting appearance, the stackable chair is durable, shock- and weather-resistant. The chair is a beloved 21st-century furniture piece apt for residential and commercial settings.
Panton Chair by Verner Panton
Designed by Danish architect and designer Verner Panton, the S-shaped plastic Panton Chair is Panton’s best-known design. Through an unusual form, the piece has become an icon of 20th-century furniture. The Panton is regarded as the world’s first molded plastic chair and a masterpiece of Danish design. It is still iconic and relevant among chairs designed by architects.
This unique chair was designed in 1960 for serial production in collaboration with Vitra in 1967. After its creation, the chair has evolved through several production phases. Its cantilever structure with an anthropomorphic shape and slightly flexible materials provides a sense of supreme comfort to the chair.
Also Read: 30 Most Famous Chair Designs of All Time
Tulip Armchair by Eero Saarinen
Part of Eero Saarinen’s Pedestal Collection of furniture, the Tulip chair is probably the most notable. The Finnish-American architect and designer wanted to create a furniture series without the mess of multiple legs beneath them. The distinctive trait of the Tulip armchair is its futuristic shape that forgoes the multiple legs to support the furniture with a singular flute-like base.
The sculptural molded fiberglass seat above the slender fluted base reminds of the tulip flower, giving the chair its name. Designed in 1957, the one-legged chair majestically became a symbol of Mid-Century Modern design.
Z Chair by Zaha Hadid
Zaha Hadid was an Iraqi-British architect, known for her eclectic and modernist designs. The Z Chair is a proud part of Hadid’s legacy. Presented at Salone 2011, the chair is made from polished stainless steel. It may not look functional at first glance due to its angular and zigzag silhouette, but it has a striking design that seems to cut through and remain suspended in the air. It is one of the best chairs designed by architects.
Summarizing the essence of contemporary design, the designer shows the continued discourse between form and function. The contrast of angular corners and smooth curves is further enhanced by the use of a single material. The Z Chair was launched as a limited edition of 24 pieces and is still one of the notable furniture designs by the famous architect.
These 10 chairs are among the most iconic pieces designed by notable architects from around the world. Each of these chairs has stood the test of time and space. Still in production, these chairs by architects are popular among the masses, gracing homes and offices alike.
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