Verner Panton imagined a cantilever chair made from a single element. The Panton Chair was presented to the public in August 1967: backrest, seat and support became parts of a continuous shape, rather than an assembly of separate pieces. [1]
Getting there took years of trials with Vitra. The manufacturer describes how early versions changed material and production technique; an apparently simple shape raised very practical questions about strength and manufacturing. [2]
Take this with youAn exercise from our editors: follow the chair’s outline with your eyes. Then imagine how many decisions it takes to make that curve look inevitable.
Read the sources (2)
- Panton Chair Verner Panton Design AG · accessed 13 Sept 2026
- Panton Chair Vitra · accessed 13 Sept 2026
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