K

aruselli Lounge Chair
Artek – Yrjö Kukkapuro, 1964

The furniture designer and interior architect Yrjö Kukkapuro (b. 1933) studied under Ilmari Tapiovaara in Helsinki and later trained several generations of Finnish design students as a full-fledged university professor. His most internationally renowned design, the Karuselli Lounge Chair, is the perfect example of Kukkapuro’s interest in achieving ultimate comfort for the sitter through a union of function, ergonomics and organic form. 

The Karuselli Lounge Chair is the result of extensive experimentation. Kukkapuro began developing the  breglass chair in the 1950s, arriving at the iconic form in 1964. Shaped to echo the form of the human body, the inspiration for the Karuselli reportedly came about when the designer was playing outside making snow chairs with his daughter. The ergonomics of sitting has always been a guiding principle in Kukkapuro’s work. Designing according to human anatomical functioning was essential when creating Karuselli.

The original prototype consisted of thin metal netting covered in sackcloth and dipped in plaster. Kukkapuro spent several years sculpting the chair and searching for the right dimensions. The resulting chair was exceptionally comfortable and had a distinct style. The Karuselli became an immediate international success – Gio Ponti chose it for the cover of Domus in 1966, and Kukkapuro found a permanent supporter in Sir Terence Conran, who has proclaimed it his favourite chair.

With swivel and swing mechanism.

Dimensions lounge chair W80 x D97.5 x H92 cm, seat height 37cm – Ottoman W53.5 x H38 cm

Base and shell fibre glass, white

Brace steel, chrome-plated

Seat surface leather upholstery with PU foam padding

Glides felt