Pierre Jeanneret (1896 – 1987) was already a brilliant painter, artist and architect at a young age. None other than Le Corbusier was his mentor and cousin. Together they designed furniture by experimenting with minimalist designs. The most renowned piece of furniture of his career, the Candigarh chair, became the epitome of the 'Mid Century Modern' style.
When the Swiss architect designed a teak and cane chair in the 1950s, he had a simple train of thought: people need a chair to sit on. This chair was produced in large numbers for Chandigarh, the utopian city created by his cousin Le Corbusier in India. In addition to this chair, Pierre Jeanneret designed numerous other pieces of furniture for Chandigarh.
Source: Wikipedia
Chandigarh was the dream city of India's first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru. A new capital was needed because the former capital of Lahore became part of Pakistan due to the division of the Punjab. Albert Mayer started the development of the new city and Le Corbusier completed the project. He divided the city into various sectors, which were self-sufficient thanks to their own market, temple and school. In 2016, Candigarh was recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The Chandigarh chair had V-shaped legs, made of insect and moisture-resistant teak. The material would be put to the test when the chairs went out of fashion decades later and were disposed of as scrap at local auctions.
Source: Instagram Assouline
However, this chair was rediscovered and the discarded chairs were collected. This led to the revival of these chairs. The Chandigarh chair is currently the favorite of Belgian designer Axel Vervoordt. The minimalism makes the chair a strong piece, it almost becomes a sculpture when you put it in a room. The chairs, meanwhile, even adorn Kourtney Kardashian's interior.
Furnified released a contemporary interpretation with the Flora Armchair and the Ruben chair. These chairs can be used anywhere in the house. They are the perfect combination of natural materials and trendy design with a vintage twist. Thanks to the elegant oak frame and a seat made of woven rattan, these chairs are perfect for both modern and retro spaces. A table with six rattan Ruben chairs will be an eye-catcher for any home.
READING TIP : Discover here how you can combine old and new beautifully.
Shop these beautiful chairs and armchairs below, which are available in different materials. Did you know that the the transparency of the rattan makes these chairs ideal for smaller homes ?
By Lien Egghe
Combine our Vintage wall cabinet with our Mortex coffee tables and really bring your living room to life.
