MYchair Lounge Chair

red dot: best of the best
red dot award: product design 2009

Interplay – design for the zeitgeist
The emergence of new things eludes any kind of definition, since the human creativity at work is as multifaceted as the individuals who develop these new things. Philosophers from antiquity on have always sought to explain and trace the processes of creative thinking, until in the 1960s, the research scientist Edward de Bono introduced the term “lateral thinking”. A little later, playful probing, or free association, was defined as an essential element of creativity. However, creativity is always also an expression embedded in time, an activity aimed at breaking new ground and offering new perspectives on things. With the MYchair, the UNStudio/Ben van Berkel design team, which is known for many impressive designs, managed to create a highly contemporary, distinctive and exciting interpretation of a lounge chair that corresponds to the zeitgeist. MYchair is sweeping and expressive, it aims to be “quirky” and provocative in shape – like a sculpture in space, it boldly underscores the individuality of its owner. What is interesting about this chair is how it plays with angles and our viewing habits: slanting, rounded and straight areas give way to each other, while the upholstery too traces and alternates between convex and concave shapes. This impressive interplay of geometric forms is matched by the choice of colours: the base, seat and back combine intense colours such as red and black to create dynamic duets. Multifunctional and well thought-out, the MYchair invites users to read, to chill and comfortably relax – like the fluidity of its lines, the lounge chair is able to adapt just as easily to different interiors and lifestyles.