The Mandariini Chair
The Mandariini Chair
Carl-Gustaf Hiort af Ornäs, 1960
ORNÄS
Materials: Swivel chair with wood and chrome steel base. Moulded shell in fabric or leather
Dimensions: W: 30” x D: 27.5” x H: 29”/SH: 15.7”
Options: Base in birch or oak stained, soaped, oiled or waxed or walnut oiled or waxed. Upholstery in select fabric and leathers
Estimated Lead Time: 12-16 weeks
The recognisable design language of the Mandariini chair is timeless, while being softly futuristic at the same time. The chair, designed in 1960, has a cup-like rotating seat connected to a steel leg lined with hardwood. This visually intriguing, extremely comfortable and durable chair suits both homes and public facilities alike.The seat of the Mandariini chair is reminiscent of Japanese origami. Hiort af Ornäs once said how he sat at his kitchen table on numerous nights when designing it, cutting and folding forms out of paper. He wanted to design a chair based on a conical shape. “I played with the idea of a cone for a couple of years and how it could be cut in different ways. This is what I kept thinking because you can easily cut a cone on a plywood press.” The design of Mandariini reveals the designer’s attitude towards the manufacturing process, which was a continuous source of inspiration for him. The chair’s straight leg structure balances the curved lines of the seat. “I thought of an English horse carriage, and it inspired the design where the curved lines of a cone require straight lines in contrast.”
