Design For Everyone |
07/04/19
With its bentwood frame, cantilevered seat, and curved backrest, the Poäng chair is one of Ikea’s most recognisable pieces. But what made the Scandinavian design emporium’s chair an instant classic 40 years ago?
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Today I accompanied my mum to IKEA on the hunt for a bar stool for her new kitchen. While the bar stool search was fruitless, I was inspired to write a post on IKEA's most famous chair - the Poäng. It was one of the first products I was faced with when entering the store and features in almost all of their display rooms in some variation - and of course I had to try a few out! The chair’s greatest appeal rests in its subtle rocking motion, which is produced by its cantilevered, moulded-plywood structure. This quality, in combination with its lightness and affordable price, quickly led to it becoming one of IKEA’s most recognisable designs.
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The Swedish furniture maker has produced over 30 million Poäng chairs since it debuted in 1976, and it continues to sell about 1.5 million every year (the company’s bestselling armchair) not bad for a design that’s settling squarely into middle age.
Japanese designer Noboru Nakamura is the creator of the Poäng. He came to Ikea in 1973 to learn more about Scandinavian furniture and collaborated with Lars Engman, the director of design at the company, on a chair that would use plywood veneer construction. There have been tweaks to the upholstery colour and pattern to keep the chair relevant with consumer tastes, but the biggest change happened in 1992. The chair’s seat was originally made from tubular steel, but in the early ’90s, the company switched to an all-wood frame and also narrowed the size. This allowed the chair to be flat packed–a move that reduced the price by 21% for customers. It’s actually less expensive now than it was when it launched. That same year, Ikea changed the chair’s original name, Poem, to Poäng. Today, the chair remains a ubiquitous presence in homes around the world, and looks as modern today as it did when it debuted in 1976. |
"With Poäng armchair I wanted to combine the Scandinavian and Japanese furniture traditions. It also felt important to make the most of the qualities of layer-glued wood. That's why the frame is a little springy, which makes the armchair even more comfortable. When I first created the armchair I hoped the design would feel timeless. I think we succeeded with that. Now, the armchair feels like a real classic."
- Noboru Nakamura |
Walking throughout the store, I noticed multiple “Design for Everyone” stickers around the showrooms. IKEA practices what they call “democratic design”, and it steers everything they do. By creating products that meet all five dimensions they feel results in a unique outcome to feel proud of. I think they generally achieves this well – their innovative designs and massive revenue speaks for itself.
For me, the Poäng chair is the perfect example of what makes the principle of IKEA great. It gives some of the most ubiquitous products in the world the same pedigree as pieces that cost many hundreds of pounds more. It’s about making quality design available to the masses. |
Sources:
IKEA, Ashton-under-Lyne
https://www.fastcompany.com/3063312/poaeng-the-little-known-history-of-ikeas-most-famous-chair
https://www.ikea.com/gb/en/this-is-ikea/democratic-design-en-gb/
IKEA, Ashton-under-Lyne
https://www.fastcompany.com/3063312/poaeng-the-little-known-history-of-ikeas-most-famous-chair
https://www.ikea.com/gb/en/this-is-ikea/democratic-design-en-gb/