A brief history of the humble plastic chair (and its oil-free future) | CNN

A brief history of the humble plastic chair (and its oil-free future)

Karim Rashid
1 minute read
Updated 10:32 AM EDT, Fri September 8, 2017
It is amazing how little knowledge there is of the first plastic chair. It was produced in 1946 in Canada, design by D.C. Simpson, and it is amazingly elegant reductive and fluid for its time. The narrow back and tapered legs were so beautiful and elegant.<br /><br /><strong>Material: plastic composite | Production: composite molding </strong>
The Monobloc Chair —
It is amazing how little knowledge there is of the first plastic chair. It was produced in 1946 in Canada, design by D.C. Simpson, and it is amazingly elegant reductive and fluid for its time. The narrow back and tapered legs were so beautiful and elegant.

Material: plastic composite | Production: composite molding
After Simpson's chair there seems to be no innovation in monobloc (made in one piece) development in the 50s. The second monbloc plastic chair doesn't arrive until 1964 -- a lightweight and stackable design by Helmut Batzner. From a design perspective, plastic chairs imbued a seamless, organic, singular form that could not be produced in any other material, hence creating a new typology and language. <br /><br /><strong>Material: fiberglass-reinforced polyester | Production: single pressing process over a steel mold</strong>
The Bofinger Chair —
After Simpson's chair there seems to be no innovation in monobloc (made in one piece) development in the 50s. The second monbloc plastic chair doesn't arrive until 1964 -- a lightweight and stackable design by Helmut Batzner. From a design perspective, plastic chairs imbued a seamless, organic, singular form that could not be produced in any other material, hence creating a new typology and language.

Material: fiberglass-reinforced polyester | Production: single pressing process over a steel mold
Kartell, Italy released the Universale chair made of 5 injection molded parts -- so technically not a monobloc chair. The beauty of the design was that it could ship dissembled and tooling costs were cheaper (the single leg mold is small and repeated 4 times), it was stackable and it could have different height legs. <br /><br /><strong>Material: ABS plastic | Production: injection Molding</strong>
Chair Universale —
Kartell, Italy released the Universale chair made of 5 injection molded parts -- so technically not a monobloc chair. The beauty of the design was that it could ship dissembled and tooling costs were cheaper (the single leg mold is small and repeated 4 times), it was stackable and it could have different height legs.

Material: ABS plastic | Production: injection Molding
In 1968, Verner Panton designed a beautifully elegant and sensual chair called Panton chair, released by Vitra. Verner Panton is one of my favorite radical designers. He wanted furniture to "grow out of the floor." I feel the same. The chair was produced by means of pressed polyester, not injection molding. <br /><br /><strong>Material: polyester | Production: pressed polyester</strong>
The Panton Chair —
In 1968, Verner Panton designed a beautifully elegant and sensual chair called Panton chair, released by Vitra. Verner Panton is one of my favorite radical designers. He wanted furniture to "grow out of the floor." I feel the same. The chair was produced by means of pressed polyester, not injection molding.

Material: polyester | Production: pressed polyester
The same year, Luigi Colani designed an amorphous chair. I love this chair because of the beauty of the zoomorphic -- animal form -- language and the extreme simplicity that is evident in the structure, the form, and the movement. His work is erotic, sexy, voluptuous, and poignant. Colani has a broader visions, too, notions of a different world, of a better one and of an improved life that deals with the problems of the world.<br /><br /><strong>Material: lacquered fiberglass reinforced polyester | Production: pressed polyester</strong>
Poly-COR —
The same year, Luigi Colani designed an amorphous chair. I love this chair because of the beauty of the zoomorphic -- animal form -- language and the extreme simplicity that is evident in the structure, the form, and the movement. His work is erotic, sexy, voluptuous, and poignant. Colani has a broader visions, too, notions of a different world, of a better one and of an improved life that deals with the problems of the world.

Material: lacquered fiberglass reinforced polyester | Production: pressed polyester
The Capitello armchair is constructed from polyurethane foam that has been shaped to resemble the "capital" at the top of the Greek Ionic column. I only mention this as a monbloc chair that entered the realm of kitsch.<br /><br /><strong>Material: self-skinning polyurethane foam | Production: foam injection molding</strong>
Capitello —
The Capitello armchair is constructed from polyurethane foam that has been shaped to resemble the "capital" at the top of the Greek Ionic column. I only mention this as a monbloc chair that entered the realm of kitsch.

Material: self-skinning polyurethane foam | Production: foam injection molding
In 1983, the really first high volume mass produced chairs came to market by the Grosfillex group. Millions have been produced since their debut and we all know them too well. I always wanted to redesign these chairs, considering when they were released they were about $50 retail and now retail for $10, and cost only $3 to produce. The Easy Chair (by Jeszey Seymour for Magis in 2004) resembles the ubiquitous Grossfillex chair in form and function but is beautiful in comparison. <br /><br /><strong>Material: resin | Production: injection molding</strong>
Grosfillex resin garden chair —
In 1983, the really first high volume mass produced chairs came to market by the Grosfillex group. Millions have been produced since their debut and we all know them too well. I always wanted to redesign these chairs, considering when they were released they were about $50 retail and now retail for $10, and cost only $3 to produce. The Easy Chair (by Jeszey Seymour for Magis in 2004) resembles the ubiquitous Grossfillex chair in form and function but is beautiful in comparison.

Material: resin | Production: injection molding
Another chair that had the elegance and simplicity of the original 1946 Canadian chair is Matthew Hilton's Wait chair for Authentics. This was the time that I had designed the OH chair with an intention to design the most comfortable plastic chair in the world.<br /><br /><strong>Material: polypropylene | Production: injection molding</strong>
The Wait Chair —
Another chair that had the elegance and simplicity of the original 1946 Canadian chair is Matthew Hilton's Wait chair for Authentics. This was the time that I had designed the OH chair with an intention to design the most comfortable plastic chair in the world.

Material: polypropylene | Production: injection molding
La Marie by Philippe Starck for Kartell was one of the first polycarbonate chairs that afforded a strong chair. Polycarbonate wants to mold into straight lines, not curves, for better structure -- making this form ideal. The chair became famous because of the fun shades of transparent polycarbonate. Also the small scale of the chair made it successful for tight conference rooms and restaurants.<br /><br /><strong>Material: polycarbonate | Production: injection molding</strong>
La Marie —
La Marie by Philippe Starck for Kartell was one of the first polycarbonate chairs that afforded a strong chair. Polycarbonate wants to mold into straight lines, not curves, for better structure -- making this form ideal. The chair became famous because of the fun shades of transparent polycarbonate. Also the small scale of the chair made it successful for tight conference rooms and restaurants.

Material: polycarbonate | Production: injection molding
Jasper Morrison designed the Air Chair for Magis in 1999. This is a great example of air injection molding or gas-assist molding which was developed in the late 80's to create strong injection molded parts. <br /><br /><strong>Material: polypropylene | Production: gas-injected molding</strong>
Air Chair —
Jasper Morrison designed the Air Chair for Magis in 1999. This is a great example of air injection molding or gas-assist molding which was developed in the late 80's to create strong injection molded parts.

Material: polypropylene | Production: gas-injected molding
In 2003 I designed the Poly Chair for Bonaldo. Every facet of this polycarbonate chair is for structure stability not aesthetics. Air injection is one way of strengthening the chair but I was determined not to follow the air-injection trend and end up with an opaque chair, and instead to stay true to a clear Polycarbonate chair by designing a chair that is all about structure.<br /><br /><strong>Material: polycarbonate| Production: injection molding</strong>
Poly chair —
In 2003 I designed the Poly Chair for Bonaldo. Every facet of this polycarbonate chair is for structure stability not aesthetics. Air injection is one way of strengthening the chair but I was determined not to follow the air-injection trend and end up with an opaque chair, and instead to stay true to a clear Polycarbonate chair by designing a chair that is all about structure.

Material: polycarbonate| Production: injection molding
The seat is made of transparent or batch-dyed polycarbonate and the frame is made of transparent polycarbonate. There are two molds, one for the seat and one for the legs. The two parts are welded by laser to produce a nearly indestructible, colorful, textural and seamless design.<br /><br /><strong>Material: polycarbonate | Production: injection molding and sonic welding</strong>
Mr. Impossible —
The seat is made of transparent or batch-dyed polycarbonate and the frame is made of transparent polycarbonate. There are two molds, one for the seat and one for the legs. The two parts are welded by laser to produce a nearly indestructible, colorful, textural and seamless design.

Material: polycarbonate | Production: injection molding and sonic welding
Today's chair must be sustainable. The Siamese Chair is made from an eco-plastic injection of the Amazonian fruit acai and ipe roxo, which is one of the most exported woods in Brazil. The bark, which completely regenerates in two years, is found in the Amazonian region, and gives the Siamese its distinct shape and sustainable quality.<br /><br /><strong>Material: acai and ipe roxo | Production: injection molding</strong>
Siamese Chair —
Today's chair must be sustainable. The Siamese Chair is made from an eco-plastic injection of the Amazonian fruit acai and ipe roxo, which is one of the most exported woods in Brazil. The bark, which completely regenerates in two years, is found in the Amazonian region, and gives the Siamese its distinct shape and sustainable quality.

Material: acai and ipe roxo | Production: injection molding
A brief history of the humble plastic chair -- and its oil-free future

Editor’s Note: Karim Rashid is one of this generation’s most prolific and celebrated designers. He was CNN Style’s guest editor for September 2015, writing a series of features on design in the digital age.

CNN  — 

I love plastic. I love plastic chairs. I always have and always will. Plastic has afforded a warm, soft, malleable, flexible, comfortable, lightweight democratic landscape heaped with innovation and infinite design possibilities. Without plastic we could never have accomplished the progressive world of healthcare, transportation, infrastructures, architecture, clothing, sports equipment, technology, appliances, packaging, and on and on.

At the same time, plastics have created a contaminated, toxic world that needs to be reconsidered and resolved.

There is great hope in biodegradable plastics, 100% recycled plastics, deriving plastics from sugar cane, plant-based and other renewable sources (interestingly these were used in the production of plastics in the early 1900s). New research and technologies can continue to shape a progressive plastic-material world, but with environmentally responsible and sustainable results.

One day we will live in a fantastic-plastic, technorganic world. But for now, let’s appreciate what we have, and take a quick tour of the history of the plastic chair.