Alfredo Häberli Design Development

How to form a plywood surface into a shell without using 3D veneer? The leg splint was the most extreme shape achieved but not suitable for a chair, in terms of quality. The elephant had such shapes and lines. Why had Ray & Charles Eames not done this? And this led to the plastic chair? This project was characterized by an endless number of such and similar questions. In three years of close cooperation with engineers, we developed a patented procedure allowing for flat plywood to be bent and connected to the seat, in order to allow for an ergonomic shell with a sculptural form. In design terms: two endless lines - the simple outer line and the inner as a hole - forming an exciting entity. The rejuvenating of the plywood - 7 mm in the back and 12 mm in the seat - can be felt in the extraordinary flexibility and ergonomics. The various different base frames and cushions only contribute to Jill's timeless elegance.

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