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Modern Icons: Frank Gehry's Wiggle Chair
Long Before Bilbao, Gehry was Surprising Us With New Materials and Eye-Popping Forms
Houzz Contributor. Hi There! I currently live in a 1920s cottage in Atlanta that I'll describe as "collected."
I got into design via Landscape Architecture, which I studied at the University of Virginia. I've been writing about design online for quite a few years over at Hatch: The Design Public Blog.
Houzz Contributor. Hi There! I currently live in a 1920s cottage in Atlanta... More »
Chances are, Frank Gehry may not have hit your radar screen until The Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain took the world by storm. Just when it seemed that all architecture was derivative, he knocked our socks off and officially hit "Starchitect" status. In fact, I wonder if that word was coined because of Mr. Gehry; I certainly never heard it before Bilbao was built, had you? Regardless, Gehry has been experimenting with materials, working them into unexpected shapes, and using them for unexpected functions for his entire career. In fact, decades before he designed Bilbao, he designed this remarkable chair. Ladies and Gentleman, please allow me to introduce the Wiggle Chair!
by Kathryn Waltzer
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Check out the wiggly curves on this baby! Would you ever guess that it is made out of corrugated cardboard? This material was deemed too weak to create furniture from it, but Gehry didn't care. This just made him try harder. The solution he found was to alternate the directions of several sheets of cardboard and glue them together; this makes the cardboard strong enough to make a chair out of it. He named the material "Edge Board."
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| Gehry has always experimented with materials. Have you ever checked out his constant work-in-progress, his house in Venice Beach?* The Wiggle Chair makes a great occasional chair, especially in a modern room like this one. There is a strong contrast between the sculptural Wiggle and these rich leather and chrome Corbusier chairs.
*To see Gehry's Venice Beach house, check out the documentary I'm recommending at the end of this ideabook. He experimented with chain link fencing, glass, corrugated metal, and plywood. Don't try that if you live in a neighborhood with a busybody homeowner's association! |
The Wiggle Chair also looks great with iconic Eames Lounge Chairs. It would be a funny party test to see which guest was brave enough to go sit on the Wiggle Chair first. Would someone wait until no other seats were available, or would they fearlessly sit right on it?
Did I mention that Gehry invented this chair almost 40 years ago, back in 1972? Wait, let me take back that "almost 40" as yours truly was born in 1972! Anyway, the neutral color, which is true to the cardboard material, proves that a great form can stand out no matter what color it is.
The Wiggle Chair's dimensions make it more practical than you'd think. The height is just right for pulling it under a desk, dressing table or dining table. I have yet to see a dining room that uses a set of Wiggle Chairs. If you have, PLEASE shoot me a link in the comments section. That is something I'd love to see.
| In a bedroom full of straight lines, the Wiggle Chair's mad curves add a nice contrast. |
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| There's also a Wiggle Stool that uses the same technology, materials, and similar curves. |
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No, there's not a Wiggle Chair in this room, but I thought as a footnote I'd introduce Gehry's Hat Trick Chairs. He was inspired by the design of apple baskets, and he used strips of maple to form these interesting chairs. There is an entire Hat Trick Series that includes other chairs and tables that are all made from these maple strips.
If you'd like to learn about Frank Gehry, I recommend the documentary, "Sketches of Frank Gehry," by the late Sidney Pollack. Gehry even allowed access to his therapist for interviews. The friendship and mutual respect between Gehry and Pollack is very touching, and it's fascinating to see those two great creative minds interact.
Next: See more modern icons
If you'd like to learn about Frank Gehry, I recommend the documentary, "Sketches of Frank Gehry," by the late Sidney Pollack. Gehry even allowed access to his therapist for interviews. The friendship and mutual respect between Gehry and Pollack is very touching, and it's fascinating to see those two great creative minds interact.
Next: See more modern icons
Ideabook published on March 8, 2011.
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For anyone who hasn't seen the documentary, I second Becky's opinion. See it!
Luckykats, LOL! I never thought about the wiggle stool like that!