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Workshop The legacy of Wegner

Variations on a theme

The history of the designs produced by PP Møbler that are derived from Wegner’s study of Ming dynasty chairs is an evolutionary story, spanning more than forty years, told through variations on the theme of the ergonomic round back armchair.

Each chair has its own individual character, purpose and technical challenges. Nevertheless, they are each a clear result of the experience Wegner gained from earlier versions.

Common to all of the designs following the evolutionary line of the round back armchairs was the omission of the vertical upright or splat back support of the Chinese chairs as it proved to counteract proper ergonomics.

From the organically shaped back supports of the Round, Cow Horn and Swivel Chairs carved in large pieces of solid timber offering abundant comfort, Wegner gradually reduced the use of wood in his designs exemplified in the Bull Chair and the Minimal Chair.

Subsequently, in creating the pp201 | pp203, Wegner returned to the geometric form of the Chinese Chair pp66 with a frame and steam bent arms supporting the back while staying true to correct ergonomic principles.

With the Captain’s Chair, Wegner increased the comfort reminiscent of the Round Chair.

Finally, in the pp68 | pp58, Wegner distilled the experience of a lifetime to create a simple yet supremely comfortable chair using a single piece of steam bent wood sculptured to support the back.

“It’s important to have plenty of space for the behind”, Wegner often explained.