haefeli 1-793
Max Ernst Haefeli, 1926
The simplicity, beauty of shape, and timelessness of Haefeli's wooden chair is legendary. Its premium workmanship is durable and sustainable. Basically, its shape hasn't changed since 1926.
Max Ernst Haefeli, a pioneer of Swiss modernity, designed Switzerland's first architects chairs in 1926 for horgenglarus. Contrary to other designers, Haefeli didn't seek to break with tradition but created furniture that had a familiar feel to it. The simplicity, beauty of shape, and timelessness of Haefeli's wooden chair is legendary. Its premium workmanship is durable and sustainable. Basically, its shape hasn't changed since 1926. Its unobtrusive elegance and economical use of motion helped the haefeli to maintain its effect for decades and it remains a big hitter for residential spaces as well as hotels and restaurants to this day. As early as in 1927, the Zurich handicraft museum showcased Haefeli's furniture in its "Form ohne Ornament" exhibition, including model 293, the first modular furniture of Swiss modernity. His chairs were therefore published in prominent positions and exhibited regularly. With the haefeli, horgenglarus is proud to be producing a well-known piece of furniture forming part of Switzerland's visual culture. In 2014 for example, the "House of Switzerland" was furnished with the haefeli, As "Modell 4", the haefeli is part of Zurich's design museum collection.
Seat upholstered, moulded plywood back, rear legs and seat frame solid bentwood
W41, D49, H82, SH47
Variants
Designers
max ernst haefeli
Architect, furniture designer and leading exponent of the 'New Objectivity' or 'New Building' movement in Zurich. Studied at the architecture faculty at ETH Zurich. After working with Otto Bartning in Berlin (1923/24) and at this father Max Haefeli's architectural studio, he opened his own office in Zurich (1926). Designed modular furniture for ag möbelfabrik horgenglarus. From 1928, he collaborated closely with its director Ernst Kadler-Vögeli. 1927, he became head of the "Kollektivgruppe Schweizer Architekten", which furnished apartments in the block designed by Mies van der Rohe at the Weissenhof Estate in Stuttgart. 1937–1975, partnership with Werner Max Moser and Rudolf Steiger.