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Wiggle Chair (By Frank Gehry), article

Writer's picture: Olivier BlancOlivier Blanc

Category: Furniture Design, Chair

Contributor: Olivier Blanc


Designer: Frank Gehry

Year: 1972

Materials: Corrugated cardboard, hardboard

Edited by: Vitra


Frank Gehry is a renowned architect and designer celebrated for his iconic structures, such as the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao (Spain), the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles (USA) and the Louis Vuitton Foundation in Paris (France). However, one of Gehry's other renowned creations worthy of attention is the Wiggle Chair.


The Wiggle Chair is a unique piece of furniture designed by Gehry in 1972. The chair's material is corrugated cardboard, an inexpensive material typically not used in furniture design at the time. Its construction consists of stacking layers of cardboard and folding them into a wavy, "wiggle" shape. Although the chair looks paper-made, it's sturdy, durable, and supportive.


The inspiration behind the Wiggle Chair comes from an interest of experimenting with unconventional materials and forms. This creative approache is the challenge of taking something typically considered cheap or disposable and turning it into something beautiful and functional.


With such an unconventional and out-of-the-ordinary appearance, the chair quickly became an icon in the Design world. The Wiggle Chair has been featured in numerous exhibitions and is part of the permanent collection at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City.

It's worth noting that the distinctive design and its one-of-a-kind aesthetic remain popular to this day, a testament to its enduring appeal.


The Wiggle Chair embodies Gehry's philosophy of design, which focuses on experimentation, innovation, and pushing boundaries. The chair's sculptural beauty invites people to admire and use it by sitting on it. This combination of form and function makes the Wiggle Chair an astonishing design piece.

It is fair to write that the Wiggle Chair by Frank Gehry is a timeless piece of furniture that has not only influenced the Design world but also challenged traditional notions of what furniture can be. Its playful appearance, innovative use of materials, and Gehry's unique design sensibilities make it remarkable.


2023, Series of photographs by Olivier Blanc

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