michael kluver: just chairs

the collection in its entirety all images courtesy of michael kluver

a self-described ‘journalistic designer’, dutchman michael kluver poses the questions, ‘do we need to produce more and more every year? is it not time to slow down [and look] for quality of design and context once again?‘

historically innovative designers like breuer, eames, mackintosh, or rietveld believed that the aesthetic of their chair design promoted a specific way of life. over the years their work has been taken out of context, having become expensive designer objects that are symbols of wealth, rather than remaining true their original intended use.

kluver calls for a restoration of context: the chairs in his new collection are minutely altered versions of the modernist design classics. each model has been refined to the most simple archetypal form. the collection remains cohesive across its ergonomic dimensions– the seating height, width, depth, overall height, and angle of the backrest remain consistent.

left: eames eiffel as reconceived

by kluver; right: red-blue chair by rietveld as reconceived

by kluver

left: wassily chair by breuer as reinterpreted by kluver; right: chair hill house

mackintosh by kluver

visualizations of the project by kluver

designboom has received this project from our ‘DIY submissions‘ feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication.