Tulip Chairs by Eero Saarinen, Finland, 2002, Set of 6

Extraordinary set of six “Tulip 151” model chairs designed by Eero Saarinen. Widely recognized model, a classic in the history of design. Simple structure, the seat itself is made of white fiberglass. The four classic legs have been eliminated to make way for a large central pedestal with a circular base and thin shaft made of cast aluminum with a white coating. The smooth transition between these two parts, base and shaft, makes it a graceful icon. Model 151 is more difficult to find on the market, it is distinguished from the other in that the interior of the shell is upholstered in olive green, both seat and backrest; cushion in the same fabric. This is an exercise in simplification typical of the Mid-Century. The circle and the oval are two elements always present in Saarinen's designs, because in addition to being essential shapes they refer to the organic, and it cannot be forgotten that man himself is an organic element. It is a sculpture design, timeless and eternal.

When referring to the history of this design, it is always said that for Saarinen the “lower neighborhood of the legs”, that is, what is observed under the chairs and tables, was a “confusing, restless and ugly” world. ". To do this, he studied the best way to put an end to it and after five years he presented the “Tulip” or Pedestal Collection, introduced in 1958.

In good condition for its age and use, they present an organic production label (Sept. 2002).

Eero Saarinem

Prolific and versatile, Eero Saarinen (1910-1961) was an innovator in the forms of architecture and furniture design. He did not want to be limited by the strict geometry of functionalism and embraced the sensuality and symbolism of curved shapes. with the passage of time, his figure becomes greater and his decisive contribution to modern architecture and his strong commitment to intuitive and humanized design are recognized.

He lived only 51 years, and died without seeing the construction of two of the works that have given him a prominent place in the history of architecture and gave architectural identity to the United States: the TWA terminal at Kennedy Airport in New York – today national monument – ​​and the Gateaway arch of the city of San Luis, a tribute to the Americans who explored the West of the country, and which in its bold shape and complicated engineering perfectly symbolizes the challenge and adventure of that expansion. The monument was completed in 1965, four years after his death, and, like many of Saarinen's works, caused controversy at the time, although today it is a landmark.

Throughout his career, he practiced eclectic architecture, in which he gave each building an individual character that responded to the physical and symbolic needs of the client, although to do so he had to skip some premises of modern architecture and was accused of excessive or rhetorical by the guardians of modernity.

Eero Saarinen worked in the 1930s with Charles Eames, who had studied at Cranbrook Academy in Michigan, an institution dedicated to highlighting the fusion of form and function, material and idea, craft and technology. The Academy building had been designed precisely by the Finnish architect Eliel Saarinen, Eero's father.

Along with Charles Eames, Saarinen pioneered the design of furniture that adapted to the shapes of the human body and retained this interest in organic forms and structures in his work as an architect, seeking to expand the expressive range of modern architecture.

That is why his contribution in this field also left a strong mark: the Tulip table and chair, and the Womb armchair, all produced by Knoll, are cult objects for design lovers. The Tulip chair manifests Saarinen's search for a continuous, uninterrupted and comfortable way for different types of the human body. Also famous is the series of seats that he created together with Charles Eames for the Organic Design in Home Furnishing competition, which today is manufactured by Vitra under the name Organic.

Dimensions: 82 x 42 x 51 cm. Lampshade: 42 x 42 cm.