Getting wrapped in an egg: why the Arne Jacobsen chair is an icon

A simple chair was not enough!

When Arne Jacobsen was asked to create an chair to be placed in the modern concept hotel he had just built, he did not settle for something that already existed, but chose to imagine a true design element, revolutionising the concept of an chair. He gave birth to a reality capable over the years of being remembered for its special and unique characteristics, playing with shapes, ergonomics, materials and technology. Thus was born the Arne Jacobsen chair, which decades later is still an icon and can be found in various rooms in the home and in offices.

About the chair designer Arne Jacobsen, the one who adapted form to function

Jacobsen was an architect and designer who espoused modernism in its entirety, using clean, essential lines and materials such as steel and glass, seeking innovative combinations and production techniques. His forms were adapted to the content, i.e. any object was created from its function. Architect of famous buildings such as the SAS Hotel in Copenhagen, the Texaco petrol station and the Bellevue Theatre, his was an all-round job, as he designed both the exterior and the interior, giving his functionalist and essentialist approach to architecture and design, for projects united by a fascinating common thread. He transposed the same philosophy he used in designing buildings into furniture, and is best remembered for a number of his chair and chair series.

The reasons why the Egg Chair is innovative

When he designed the SAS Hotel, he also invented the Egg Chair, the name by which his most famous creation is known, and the Swan Chair. The innovative principles of the Arne Jacobsen chair are in the enveloping shape, and in the materials, both of the shell and the upholstery, right down to the swivel base.

The rigid foam shell makes the design of the Arne Jacobsen chair unique

The Egg Chair features a wrap-around shell made of rigid foam, an innovative material that is very versatile and offers extremely comfortable ergonomic support, padded with polyurethane and upholstered with different types of leather according to requirements. Jacobsen then fitted his creation with a swivelling aluminium base, chosen because it is light, capable of distributing the weight of the top well and modern.

From offices to the living room, it gives elegance and personality to every room

The name egg was not given by chance! It is precisely the shape of the Arne Jacobsen chair, enveloping and capable of giving, in combination with the materials, a feeling of embrace, privacy and isolation from the rest of the room. The armrests are integrated into the structure.

The swivel base makes the furniture very practical and functional. Initially conceived as one of the hallmarks of the Copenhagen hotel, it soon won over offices and homes with its innovative design and concept. It is ideal, because of how comfortable it is and the ability to turn around skilfully thanks to its swivel base, for an office, for those who often have to turn around to take documents from desks or cupboards.

It is used, because of its enveloping shape, capable of relaxing and embracing, in living rooms. Wherever it is placed, it also becomes a design element, adding an extra touch to the room with its mere presence. Those who choose the Arne Jacobsen chair know that they are opting for an unmistakable object and are opting for innovation and comfort. Anyone who sees it cannot fail to recognise it! It adds elegance and personality to any room.

Variations of the Egg Chair: the shape is retained, but the upholstery and cover…

So, the architect and designer was able to bring something iconic to life with his Arne Jacobsen chair. Over the years, the shape has been kept almost intact, as it is characteristic, but the Egg Chair can be had in a very wide range of colours, with different finishes, both on the top and the base. The upholstery can be customised to suit everyone’s ergonomic needs, and the classic leather upholstery is complemented, for those who want something less demanding, by fabric upholstery in an infinite range of colours and textures.

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