Designed by Eero Saarinen, 1946 – 1950
With the Pedestal Collection, Eero Saarinen has solved the “ugly, disordered world of legs” under tables and chairs. This collection defines modern design and is a timeless piece of furniture in any interior – an undisputed classic. Pair Tulip Chairs with a Saarinen Table for the quintessential modern dining set, or mix and match for a statement in any room.
From the late 1940s to the 1950s, Eero Saarinen designed many of Knoll’s most recognizable classics, including Tulip Chairs and Pedestal Tables, Womb Chair and the 70 Series Executive Seating Collection. At the very beginning, Knoll created the brand identity in a noble and sublime way through modern materials used in Saarin’s designs.
A characteristic element of the chair is its single, cast aluminum leg and seat shell made of molded fiberglass.
The collection of Tulip chairs includes six types of products with different finishes: armless Tulip chair-with upholstered seat or seat and back, Tulip armchair with upholstered seat or seat and back and a stool, for accessories, you can order removable upholstered pads. The chair has two color variants: white and black, to which a wide range of upholstery and leather is dedicated.
Details
FEATURES
In his groundbreaking collection of 1957, Eero Saarinen transformed executive seating into a fluid, sculptural form.
CONSTRUCTION
Four-Leg Base: in wood finish. Single felts are available on request. Frame and Upholstery: Moulded reinforced polyurethane shell. Contoured plywood seat form. The foot ring has a brushed aluminium foot cap to protect the wood.
FINISHES
Wooden structure. Fabric and leather upholstery. This product is available with foam that meets requirements for BS585
Dimensions
SAARINEN STOOL
Counter Stool – Height 101,5cm W 57 cm x D 49,5 cm x H 101,5 cm
Bar Stool – Height 114cm W 57 cm x D 49,5 cm X H 114 cm
Product Story
After winning the Museum of Modern Art Organic Design Competition with Charles Eames for their experiments with bent plywood in 1941, Eero Saarinen was eager to continue exploring the possibilities of a chair that achieved comfort through the shape of its shell, not the depth of its cushioning. Initially, he began the investigation with designs for smaller fiberglass task chairs, but changed direction when Florence Knoll approached him and asked, “Why not take the bull by the horns and do the big one first? I want a chair that is like a basket full of pillows…something I can curl up in.” While that’s not exactly where Saarinen ended up, the suggestion inspired one of the most iconic, and comfortable, chairs of the modern furniture movement.
Like many of Saarinen’s furniture designs, the Womb Chair required production techniques and materials still in the infancy of their existence. Saarinen and Florence Knoll found a boat builder in New Jersey who was experimenting with fiberglass and resin to help develop manufacturing methods for the new chair. Florence Knoll: “He was very skeptical. We just begged him. I guess we were so young and so enthusiastic he finally gave in and worked with us. We had lots of problems and failures until they finally got a chair that would work.”
