7 iconic design pieces that went down in history

From quirky shapes to functional aesthetics, interior design has always gravitated toward the new and unexplored. Discover, in this article,7iconic design pieces that revolutionized the sector and went down in history!

1. Thonet Chair No. 14

The iconic Thonet chair no. 14 appeared in 1859 and was an innovative advancement for its time. Created byMichael Thonet(1796 – 1871), this chair was made up of 6 wooden segments, 10 screws and 2 washers. In addition to being easy to assemble, it was cheap and extremely resistant.

The robustness of this“Viennese chair”It was once confirmed by a spectacular publicity stunt: it was dropped from the Eiffel Tower and didn't break. This event contributed to the growth of its popularity and it is estimated that, between 1859 and 1914, more than 50 million of these chairs were produced.

Currently, production of this chair continues (now number 214), but the Thonet empire collapsed with the arrival of the Second World War. Nowadays, only Peter Thonet, a direct descendant of the founder, heads theThonet GmbH, a medium-sized factory, in Frankenberg, Germany.

2. Stool 60

You've certainly heard of this iconic piece of design. The legendary Bank 60 was created in 1933 by the famousFinnish architect Alvar Aalto(1898 – 1976). In partnership with Finnish furniture manufacturerOtto Korhonen, Alvar Aalto explored the potential of birch plywood in furniture design. This technology gave rise to the famous “inverted L leg” that inspired a whole series of armchairs, chairs and benches, the first being the “Stool 60”: a round seat, with three legs.

In the 1930s, more than a million of these seats were produced in Finland and are still in production today. Stool 60 was the first piece of furniture in the world made from birch plywood and its color is due to the high mineral content present in the soil of Finnish forests, where the wood used to produce it grows.

3. Eames Plastic Chair DSW

Charles and Ray EamesThey are probably the most famous designer couple in history and are responsible for one of the most recognized pieces of design of all time: the famous Eames DSW plastic chair. An ergonomic piece that has been a constant in interior design projects, everywhere.

The Eames DSW was the first plastic chair to be mass-produced and it immediately became a worldwide success. The couple presented it to the world in the 1948 “Low-Cost Furniture Design” competition. The first version of this iconic object can be seen at the Museum of Modern Art in New York (MoMA).

4. Chaise Longue LC4

The LC4 Chaise Longue is the result of collaboration betweenLe Corbusier, Pierre Jeannerret and Charlotte Perriand. This iconic design piece was first presented in Paris in 1929, on the occasion of the “Salon des Artistes Décorateurs” (annual event, sponsored by the Societé des Artistes Décorateurs).

However, the model only gained true recognition in 1964, after a series production agreement with theCassina Features Prices(Italian design company, specialized in luxury furniture), signed on October 23rd of that same year.

5. The Egg Chair

Around a hundred years ago, the Danish government decided to invest in design on a national level, encouraging its designers to develop affordable and ergonomic furniture. Now, the so-called “Egg Chair” was invented in this context, by the Danish architectArne Jacobsen(1902-1971). Initially, it was designed for a hotel in Copenhagen, but it proved to be so comfortable that it was immediately reproduced en masse.

Inspired by the work ofEero Saarinen(1910 – 1961), Jacobsen created a structure of polyurethane foam and fiberglass, with a metal support and a lever to control the recline. An unmissable design piece that served as inspiration for many others that followed it, having been presented for the first time in the “Musée des Arts Décoratifs“, in Paris, in 1958.

6. Barcelona Chair

The “Barcelona Chair” was created by the great German modernist architectLudwig Mies van der Rohe (1886 – 1969). Initially, the chair was designed to accommodate the King and Queen of Spain, during their official visit to the German Pavilion, at the 1929 Barcelona International Fair.

However, due to its undeniable design and appearance, this model ended up being mass-produced, continuing to appear in both classic and contemporary interiors, to this day.

Currently, the original models of this chair, produced by the American factoryKnoll, are stamped with the signature of Ludwig Mies van der Rohe.

7. Anglepoise lamp

The iconic Anglepoise lamp was the first table lamp with an adjustable angle leg and diffuser. This model, which would later become Pixar's trademark, appeared in 1930, at the hands of the talented British automobile engineerGeorge Carwardine(1887 – 1947).

The model created by Carwardine became a true “classic” in the world of design and is still in production today, not only because ofANGLEPOISE(the company to which it owes its name), but also by many other companies in the sector.

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