Modern Icons: Corbusier's LC2 and LC3 Armchairs
Furniture pioneers turned the traditional club chair inside-out
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 »
Here is a chair so timeless it's very hard to believe it was designed in 1928. That magical furniture designing trio of Le Corbusier, Pierre Jeanneret and Charlotte Perriand created a modern alternative to the very traditional club chair by turning it inside out. Confused? I'll explain below.
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The designers put the chair's structure on the exterior instead of hiding it underneath the upholstery. They dubbed the resulting chairs "cushion baskets," as thick cushions are held in by a tubular steel framework. This trio was very into pushing the limits of what tubular steel could do.
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The chair comes in two sizes; LC3 (shown) is the "grand modele" while the LC2 is the "petit modele." The LC3 is wider and lower to the ground, while the LC2 is more narrow but has a higher seat and back.
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| The differences between the two show the careful attention the designers paid to function and form. |
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| Functionally, the LC3 is the chair for some serious lounging (semi-reclined, legs outstretched, head back, maybe catching the game on TV), while the LC2 is for sitting upright very comfortably (able to cross legs, sit comfortably, sip a glass of tea and have a conversation). |
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| The proportions of both models are well-balanced and very pleasing. |
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| This image shows how striking these chairs are from the back. Le Corbusier's iconic International Style buildings were based on a grid; it's very fitting that these rectalinear forms make us think of the grid as well. |
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| The chairs come in a range of colors and fabrics, and as you can see here, they work in harmony with other iconic pieces, such as the Noguchi coffee table and the Saarinen Womb chair. |
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| There are also several sofa models in the LC line. In fact, while looking up the chairs' proportions yesterday, I noticed that the whole line is on sale at Design Within Reach; if you've been waiting to pull the trigger, now's the time. More: Modern Icons: The LC4 Chaise Longue Ribbon Windows: Openness, Privacy and Cool, Modern Design Modern Icons: The Barcelona Chair |
Comments
newmouse I especially like the first photo because it shows how great the modern pieces look in a traditional environment.
20 months ago · Like
Ideabook published on Oct. 11, 2011.
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