designboom visits the 'seats of power' exhibition at VITRA design museum

designboom was recently invited to the ‘seats of power’ exhibition at VITRA design museum. currently on show in the schaudepot building, the display showcases a history of chairs and highlights the relationship between seating and expressions of authority. from mies van der rohe’s ‘barcelona chair’ to a ‘papal throne’ constructed for pope john paul II’s 1994 visit to zagreb, the chairs will be exhibited at the campus until february 17th 2019.

chair for the peter A. beachy house by frank lloyd wright (1905/06)

oak / fabric covering

all images © designboom

this dining chair was designed for one of frank lloyd wright’s famous ‘prairie houses’ in a suburb of chicago. the design is characterized by the high back-rest which creates a verticality to offset the horizontal planes of wright’s prairie houses. the tall chairs create a sense of nobility, and were described by art historian norris kelly smith as resembling ‘stately council chambers.’

safari chair by wilhelm kienzle (1928)
matted beech / leather / leather straps

wilhelm kienzle created this chair as an adaptation of a model used in the 19th century by british colonial officers. the chair was a symbol of power as it was transported to new colonies. this model by kienzle utilized the lightweight features to conceive of a new variant to the traditional chair.

barcelona chair by ludwig mies van der rohe (1929)
flat steel, chrome-plated / leather straps / cushions with foam padding and leather covering

one of the most well-recognised designs at the ‘seats of power’ is the barcelona chair designed for the german pavilion during the 1929 world’s fair. conceived by mies van der rohe, it has become synonymous with elegant and modern interiors. at the time, the chair was designed as a symbol of precise german construction and it is still used today in contemporary interiors.

the egg by arne jacobsen (1957/58)
injection-moulded polystyrene foam / foam padding / leather covering / aluminium

the egg was designed by jacobsen as part of the SAS royal hotel in copenhagen. the chair, made from polystyrene foam, was designed to encompass the user in a space within a space. the design was mainly incorporated in the public lobby spaces as it offered users the possibility of shelter or interaction.

eames executive office chair by charles und ray eames (1959/60)
aluminium / plywood / plastic / leather

designed using an aluminium frame, the eames office chair was initially built for both indoor and outdoor use. today, the design is popularized by it’s use in offices and political meeting chambers, as can be seen from the images displayed at the ‘seats of power’ exhibit.

harkonnen chair / giger chair by H.R (hans ruedi) giger (1980/81)
metal / black dyed-through polyester / foam

as one of the more fantastical exhibits at the ‘seats of power,’ this chair was designed by giger for a science-fiction movie in the 1980s. although the film was never realized, the chair was created for the fictitious ruling dynasty using reproductions of human and animal bones and organs.

papal throne by robert somek (1994)
office chair / wood / fabric

robert somek’s papal throne for pope john paul II’s visit to zagreb is an obvious symbol of a chair design that elevates the user to express their power. the design began with the white leather office chair, which was then encased in a tall wooden backrest and armrests to signify the authority of the pope.

east river chair by hella jongerius (2013/14)
wood / steel / fabric and leather covering/ plastic

one of the more contemporary designs on display is the east river chair designed by hella jongerius in collaboration with rem koolhaas. the more casual and approachable design was commissioned for the united nations headquarters and has since been used by used by notable figures such as angela merkel and christine lagarde.