Presented by Vitra

May 8, 2020 9:07 AM

Chair Times - A History of Seating – From 1800 to Today. "In the focus are 125 objects from the Collection of the Vitra Design Museum. Arranged according to their year of production, they illustrate development from 1807 to the very latest designs straight off the 3D printer, forming a timeline to modern seating design.

The film features many people whose vocations involve design and who are experts in the field, such as designers Hella Jongerius, Antonio Citterio and Ronan Bouroullec, architects and collectors Arthur Rüegg and Ruggero Tropeano, architect David Chipperfield, Director Emeritus of MAK Vienna/Los Angeles Peter Noever, Mateo Kries, Director of the Vitra Design Museum, Vitra Design Museum curators Amelie Klein, Jochen Eisenbrand and collection curator Serge Mauduit. And your guide through the history of chairs is Rolf Fehlbaum, Chairman Emeritus of Vitra."

posted by dobbs (11 comments total)

If you want to look further back, here's a longer history of chairs (previously).
posted by filthy light thief at 9:11 AM on May 8, 2020 [2 favorites]

Thanks for this -- this is one of those things I'm super excited about (plus it looks like I have a couple of them!)
posted by Mchelly at 10:33 AM on May 8, 2020

Oh yes, sitting. The great leveller. From the mightiest pharaoh to the lowliest peasant, who doesn't enjoy a good sit?
posted by mhum at 10:33 AM on May 8, 2020

holy shit! literally just posted to facebook "I've been really into chairs lately". this couldn't have come at a better time. Here are some of my favorite chairs:
60s-inspired cocoon lounge chair by kevin haviid and martin kechayas
Frame chair by Stephane Ducatteai
Brand Marni had ex-Colombian prisoners make some woven wire chairs and I love all of them.
PARA(D) lounge chair by Nova Obiecta
Bubble Chair by Rossi Molinari
Charles Kalpakian's Moon Armchairs
Cradle Chair by Moroso
posted by FirstMateKate at 10:43 AM on May 8, 2020 [3 favorites]

→ And your guide through the history of chairs is Rolf Fehlbaum, Chairman Emeritus of Vitra

some people have golden ears, Rolf has a golden …
posted by scruss at 11:20 AM on May 8, 2020

This was not what I had planned to do this evening (it's 90 minutes!!), but it's what I did, I spent 90 minutes looking at chairs and I am so happy now. Thank you for this post. I don't even know what to praise the most, it's all great.
posted by mumimor at 12:39 PM on May 8, 2020 [1 favorite]

Can’t afford a big one? Buy one For your Barbie and Ken!
posted by skyscraper at 2:16 PM on May 8, 2020

Can’t afford a big one? Buy one For your Barbie and Ken!

The price of the miniature Womb Chair is more than double what I paid for an original at a yard sale about 15 years ago. Mind you I did have to reupholster it.
posted by dobbs at 6:31 PM on May 8, 2020

Is anyone having trouble accessing the site? I started it, then put it off to watch to day, but now I cannot get it to load.
posted by frumiousb at 8:34 PM on May 8, 2020

What a great post! I started watching but it's too relaxing - I just want to sit down. Will enjoy and take notes, it'll complement one of my favourite books Design Secrets: Furniture which I grab whenever a seat needs designing.
posted by unearthed at 11:23 PM on May 8, 2020

Finally had a chance to watch this through -- it was so thoughtful and well-presented. I used to be even more into furniture design than I am now (funny how having kids wrecks any idea of having Nice Things), and I just kept finding myself grinning, seeing some of these designs again that I used to know by heart but I had forgotten all about. Especially ones that I had in my "I'm buying that as soon as I wing the lottery" collection.

Also seriously in awe of Hella Jongerius's fashion choices -- long jacket over shorts over tights, with those amazing shoes...
posted by Mchelly at 10:52 AM on May 11, 2020