.03 Non-Stackable Chair

Description

Belgian designer and interior architect Maarten Van Severen was an idiosyncratic figure on the international design scene. His work was noted for its intense engagement with a few basic furniture types, such as the chair, table, chaise longue, shelving and cabinet, for which he developed fundamental solutions.

Like Jean Prouvé, Van Severen regarded his experiments in the workshop and his close physical contact with the materials to be a vital element of the design process. This was the reason why, up until the mid 90s, when he started working with industrial partners, he produced all his designs in the workshop that he had set up in 1987.

This included the CNº II chair (later .02), introduced in 1992. This chair, with its simplicity of form, has a seat and backrest crafted from a continuous piece of material – a sheet of aluminium or thin plywood – set on an aluminium base. The CNº II formed the basis for his subsequent collaboration with Vitra to develop the .03 chair, which was introduced to the market in 1998 and marked his international emergence as a designer.

The aesthetic hallmark of the .03 chair is its sleek, slim shape – a design that can be seen as an expression of the concept 'less is more'. At the same time, the chair is unexpectedly comfortable: made of resilient polyurethane integral foam, the linear shape of the seat shell adapts to the body. When the sitter leans back, the upper part of the backrest yields slightly – a pleasant sensation created by the integrated leaf springs. The extraordinary comfort of .03 is first revealed upon use.

Details

Made in: Germany

Material: 

• Seat shell:  integral skin polyurethane foam. Shell with upholstered effect, self-supporting on a tubular steel frame. Flexible backrest with integrated leaf springs.

• Base/stackability:  back legs in tubular steel, front legs in aluminium profile, powder-coated or chrome-plated. Stacking and non-stacking versions. Up to 10 chairs can be stacked on the floor, up to 20 chairs on a stacking trolley. Fitted with plastic glides for carpet or felt glides for hard floors.

• Outdoor use:  version with powder-coated base suitable for utilisation outdoors on a temporary or seasonal basis, following care instructions. After prolonged exposure to the elements, clean and store away in a dry, sheltered place to ensure lasting use and avoid any deterioration in appearance.

Dimensions

Height: 79 cm (Seat Height : 42cm)

Depth: 52.5 cm

Length: 43.5 cm

Designer

Maarten Van Severen, 1992

Maarten Van Severen studied architecture at the Art Academy in Ghent. He designed his first furniture pieces in 1986 and in the following year established an independent workshop, where he pursued the limited, semi-industrial production of his own furniture designs. This unified process of design and production was long a fundamental aspect of his work, which was devoted to the examination of basic furniture types: chair, table, chaise longue, shelving, cabinet. Van Severen developed primary solutions for these categories based on a comprehensive investigation of the questions of form, material and construction.

Vitra is much more than a brand but rather a staple of design. Established in 1950 in Birsfelden, Switzerland, the brand has left its mark on design history through its transcending path. Starting as a furniture producer, it paved its way to manufacturing and ultimately became the powerhouse design institution we see today.