The Ball or Globe
chair
When Eero Aarnio had the first idea for the Ball Chair
in 1963, fibreglass was a relatively new material as glass reinforced
products were not Batch Produced as they are today nobody . The
only possibility was to craft the chair
with his own hands. It took Eero and his brother in law
nearly one year until the first prototype was ready.
The prototype was a success, it is still standing in Eeros house.
By coincidence two young product managers from the company ASKO
discovered the Ball Chair when visiting Eero in order to look
at some pine wood chairs. They immediately realised the potential
of this design icon.
In 1966 for the first time the chair was presented at the International
Furniture Fair in Cologne. Celebrities bought copies of the original
for their homes and it found itself in a variety of Design Museums
throughout the world.
The design of the chair was not only striking to look at but it
was also comfortable and relaxing to sit in for long periods of
time. The chair has been described as ''a room within a room''.
It offers shelter, a calming atmosphere and privacy for the seated
person. Some models of the chair have had telephones built into
them.
The chair has featured in films such as 'Tommy', 'Dazed and Confused'
and 'Moon Zero Two'. It also featured in such classic television
Programmes as 'The Prisoner'.It has even been used by Vivienne
Westwood in one of her shows.
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