13 Comments

No. 101 in a long, long list of utterly pointless designed objects.

The principle that I was taught at college was that 'function dictates format’. When you are designing an object the primary consideration is what is the object for.

Why fiddle with an classic and brilliant piece of design to produce something that, while quirky, is fairly pointless? It make us look stupid and indulgent but I’m sure that people with overstuffed wallets will snap it up in droves.
Michael Preston
2009-05-22 17:13:44

It's certainly unique haha
Kelvin Farrell
2009-05-22 18:00:43

MP -
This chair has already filled the 'function dictates format’ for 150 years. Theyre having a little - limited edition - fun with a classic item. This isnt going in the IKEA catalog. Lighten up.
Lone
2009-05-24 02:09:52

Have fun trying to stack these when you clean the floor. Oh sorry, I didn't mean to bring real life into it.
David
2009-05-24 14:32:28

I would rather have seen a Thonet design with the original bentwood frame, but perhaps a different material used for the seat. It's like a bike diamond frame really, there's no improving it. Even though this is not about 'improvement', it does seem pointless. We really need to get away from this sort of thing being seen as 'design', as it's not. Same goes for the endless landfill sites filled with laser-cut crap, and rubber-coated chandeliers from the likes of Marcel Wanders.
Gary
2009-05-24 14:44:55

'function dictates format' is one of many schools of thoguht. there are no 'rights' and 'wrongs' when it comes to design, it is personal viewpoint. I suggest you do your course again...
Tom Smith
2009-05-24 18:24:42

Love the thonet, love the idea!
Form dictates function? Of course that's great when you want simple and efficient but how about humour, poesy, fun, art?? If this is only an excuse to look back at the story of the Thonet chair, then that's definitely good enough for me.
Did you see the Muji version?
I had blogged about "her" a few weeks back. http://juliettemerck.blogspot.com/search?q=thonet
Juliette
2009-05-24 18:31:54

i think what people are furious about this chair is its production for the bauhaus exhibition. Form follows function or form dictates function is a key element of the bauhaus school. I think this is the controversial point that people want to point out..

Besides this, it is a cool chair...
mdurusoy
2009-05-24 21:06:40

it took 150 years to tie wood in a knot. i understand the criticisms....even if they are short sighted/
John H
2009-05-25 06:27:04

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runescape money
2009-05-26 09:08:29

i love it. would be nice to have a metal fork with the same knot also
stulala.com
2009-05-26 10:42:03

Wow, fantastic!
Panos
2009-05-27 15:17:44

in response to the very first comment. this piece by the looks of it is a sucessful answer to a design problem. the need of man for something to sit on. with that first and most fundemal issue out of the way its time to get a little playful. would we want to live in a world where all the chairs ever to be used all look the same?...would our houses not all look like identical jail cells? "one sits more comfortabley in a chair of a color one likes" vernor panton.

i really think that in the larger scheme of things, taking the time to make put a knot in the leg of the odd chair is more important then having chairs at all. allows us to actually SEE the mundain things we look at evey day and reminds us to explore other ways of doing things. an dnot be jaded to life. this is the crux of design and we should never forget that.
hemant ashoka
2009-07-15 10:34:20

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