Eero Aarnio
Everyone likes to sound smart at cocktail parties. In fact I find it interesting that the more I drink the smarter I become. And the more I have to say. And it’s also funny that I kind of have to speak much LOUDER so that everyone can hear all my important opinions on the state of the world today. Is that just me?
So now maybe I’ll get to the point. I write all the time about furniture and always try to include to designer’s name. But who are these designers? This is a chance to not only sound smart at cocktail parties, but become educated about the designers who shaped and continue to shape the course of furniture and product design. Even when you’re sober.
I’m starting with Eero Aarnio, the pioneer in plastic design. What follows is an article taken directly from his website. You can also read a very good article about him in the current print edition of Dwell. There is no quiz! But I’d love to hear your thoughts, comments and opinions.
Formula Chair
“Aarnio was – and still is – one of the pioneers in using plastic in industrial design. Plastic material set the designers free to create every shape and use every color they wanted. This gave birth to objects oscillating between function and fun – but always fascinating ones.
The Finnish designer Eero Aarnio, born in 1932, studied from 1954 to 1957 at the Institute of Industrial Arts in Helsinki and started in 1962 with his own office as an interior and industrial designer.
Engaged in new ideas of furniture he designed the Ball Chair (or globe chair) already in 1963. It was produced some years later. Material (fibreglass) and shape were complete novelties for that time’s furniture industry. The fiberglass ball is build on a metal swiveling base, and upholstered with foam/fiberfill. The original colors were white, red, black and orange.
Ball Chair
Sitting in this chair is a special experience, because all surrounding sounds are softened down, and it gives a certain feeling of privacy. Aarnio himself has a ball chair with a telephone in it, and some people had it fitted with speakers.
Vivienne Westwood used some Ball Chairs in one of her shows. In the following years fibreglass was used in boat construction and became one of Aarnio’s favorite materials. The Ball Chair is often used in sci-fi films, and you‚Äôll find it in magazines. The resistant and well workable fibreglass enabled Aarnio to design ergonomic forms without restrictions and intriguing new ones too.
The Pastil Chair
With Pastil Chair (American Industrial Design-Award 1968) and Tomato Chair he earned international reputation. Chairs like these can be used both indoors and outdoors, and they float! Besides, the Pastil Chair gives a new, extraordinary idea of what a rocking chair is.
The Bubble Chair
Also in 1968 Aarnio designed the Bubble Chair, made from acrylic and chromed steel. An actual example of his design gives the new fibreglass chair Formula (1998). And Eero Aarnio is still going on. His recent designs include Parabel table (1994), Focus chair (2000), and Tipi (2002).”
Tipi
What do you think of these designs? Are they current? Would you have one in your home? Also, you do have a favorite designer you’d like me to write about? Let me know.
