< nr. 67 >

Tulip Armchair

by Eero Saarinen
Label: Knoll

Year: 1955

With this chair, shaped like an tulip, (or a wineglass, just what you make of it) Eero Saarinen won a, by the Museum of Modern Art organised, competition for organic design. The chair was an instant succes.

Saarinen hated chairs with four legs. He found that restless. He rather approached a design of a chair holistic. According to him, every iconic chair had his foundation there. His ultimate design was made out of one piece. Sadly fiberglass wasn't strong enough. Many times the thin leg tore under the weight of person sitting on it. Therefore it was decided that the leg and the seating should be reinforced with aluminium and special coating. Which made it appear as if the chair was made out of one piece.

To the Trekkies among us, they know the Tulip from the U.S.S Enterprise. In which the chair was frequently used, although in a altered version. These models are very wanted nowadays. Knoll still produces the Tulip chair. They are available in versions with handrails, without handrails and in a fully coated version. The matching table is made with the same base as the chairs.