colorful UN east river chair by hella jongerius for vitra
the 'east river chair' has been developed as a furniture piece that facilitates conversations in casual atmospheres, and stands as a solidly constructed, yet lightweight and mobile design.
colorful UN east river chair by hella jongerius for vitra
the work of hella jongerius is an exercise in craft, color and form, as evidenced in her ‘east river chair’ for vitra. making its official debut at the 2014 salone del mobile, the seating object was originally conceived for the united nations north delegates’ lounge in new york which jongerius was involved in realizing. fusing high-tech and low-tech, with traditional and modern elements, the ‘east river chair’ offers a distinctive and casual combination of materials such as wood, metal, leather and fabric.
color blocking is used to define the different parts of the chair
jongerius employs color blocking as a means of defining the different parts of the design, using a lighter fabric to frame a darker tone on the seat and backrest surfaces. as with her work in general, the way in which jongerius combines various tones and hues, gives ‘east river chair’ a very different look – from muted and calm, to cheerful and bright.
detail of the leather arm rests in combination
the tones and selected materials have been chosen not only for aesthetic purposes, but with consideration to function. leather covers protect the armrests from dirt and wear, while thicker padding is found on the seat cushion, extending upwards to the backrest to provide additional lumbar support. on the rear side of the backrest, a convenient strap makes the compact object flexible and easy to move around.
the seating object is solidly constructed, yet light and mobile
the ‘east river chair’ has been developed as a furniture piece that facilitates conversations in casual atmospheres, and stands as a solidly constructed, yet lightweight and mobile design.
‘in a lounge, which is primarily used as a neutral space for spontaneous meetings, the furnishings play an important role in creating a lively setting.’ – hella jongerius
UN north delegates’ lounge chair
image © franc oudeman
model
initial concept sketch for the UN lounge chair
watercolor sketch
concept sketch outlining material applications
color blocking variations
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