An Eternal Influence

Believe it or not, a century has passed since the birth of the most influential school of modern design, the Bauhaus. Among the iconic products associated with the school is a chair that redefined the form and materiality of seating. Mies van der Rohe’s S 533 cantilevered tubular steel chair has an unmistakable arc. It was designed in 1927 before Mies joined the Bauhaus school as a teacher. With it, Mies developed an earlier concept by Mart

Stam made with gas pipes and rigid elbow joints. The masterstroke of Mies was the adoption of flexing coldbent tubular steel, which delivered comfort as well as a revolution in form. Now Thonet has released two limitededition versions of the chair with ‘sensual’ colours and finishes that, suggests the brand, bring it into our time. Thonet worked with Hamburg-based design duo Besau Marguerre to develop a version with pearl-gloss chrome and anthracite leather, and another with champagne chrome and rose-coloured leather. Just 100 pieces of each are available to mark the anniversary. In Singapore, Thonet is available from XTRA.