Jean Prouve | The structural aesthetic
a lounge chair designed by Jean Prouvé and builds for one generation to last for generations.
1. WHAT IS THE STORY BEHIND FAUTEUIL DE SALON?
Fauteuil de Salon designed by Jean Prouvé in 1939. His experience in architectural design and handmaking metalwork had influenced his designs and thoughts in furniture. After the great success of the standard chair in 1934, the distinctive structural aesthetic of a triangular geometric chair legs design became a signature of Jean Prouve's design. The name of Fauteuil de Salon is actually meant a living room armchair in English, that purposely design to put in the living room. He combines plain surfaces into a unified architectural form with a comfortable seat surface and backrest. Assembled with oiled, solid wood armrests to represent the designer's characteristic of structural aesthetic.
Back in the time, metal is often used in industrial development but rarely used in making furniture. However, Jean Prouvé as a blacksmith's apprentice, he gained an understanding of metal and its limitations, driving him to seek new materials and processes like steel, aluminum, and arc welding, producing houses, building components, and furniture for the social sector. Thereby melding his philosophy in furniture to work closely with architectural work, emphasized new technologies and industrial processes to raise living standards for all.
2. THE DESIGN OF FAUTEUIL DE SALON
Jean Prouvé’s furniture classics focus on their own construction and the clear language of necessity that dictates their aesthetic principle. The Fauteuil de Salon chair robustly constructed from the delicate line of the tubular metal frame, oiled solid wood and polyurethane foam, using triangular back legs bent from steel to support the weight. Nearly 20 years after Jean Prouvé's death, Vitra worked closely with his daughter Catherine Prouvé to obtain design authorization to make this classic furniture. The re-engraved Fauteuil de Salon lounge armchair is covered with top cushion and woolen fabric to make a thick back and seat, then installed on an industrial-style steel pipe frame and decorated with oak solid wood for warmth touch. The seat is improved to lower seat height and widened, and the angle of the seatback is slightly inclined, which fits the spine and becomes a more ergonomic comfortable leisure chair. The understated character emanates inviting comforts to work with other pieces in the Prouvé Collection.
3. The evolution of modern industrial aesthetics
Jean Prouvé ambitiously introduced mechanical production and modern industrial design aesthetics into the home furniture, melding his philosophy in furniture to work closely with an architectural form to leads the spirit of contemporary mechanical aesthetics, especially in various using in steel, aluminum, or boldly experimenting with various materials to design structures and bodies for architectural, space and furniture thereby promoting contemporary technological development.During the time, Vitra has been closely cooperating with the Prouvé family, started to recreate, and refurbish the design classic of Jean Prouvé and give them a contemporary life with a modern look one by one. Back in 2011, the fashion brand from Holland G-Star started a crossover project Prouvé RAW with Vitra, to reinterpret and relaunch the classic Prouvé designs to make them available and accessible to more people. In 2015, following the success in the Prouvé RAW project, G-Star decided to develop the second limited series: The Prouvé RAW Office Edition. Using new production techniques and reconsider the ergonomic aspects of the designs. particularly in size corrections, material, and colors to make them more suitable for the modern office environment, bring the classic forever.
Prouvé RAW collection (2011, 2015 edition)
Furniture designed to work closely with architectural work,
emphasized new technologies and industrial processes to raise living standards for all.
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About Designer - Jean Prouvé
Jean Prouvé was an enthusiastic metal worker, self-taught architect, and designer and visionary producer of his designs Prouvé's work encompasses a wide range of objects, melding his philosophy in furniture to work closely with architectural form. From a letter opener to door and window fittings, from lighting and furniture to façade elements and prefabricated houses, from modular building systems to large exhibition structures – essentially, almost anything that is suited to industrial production methods.