Philippe Starck's aluminium Icon Chair for American furniture brand Emeco is today's offering in our A-Zdvent calendar for 2014.
Described by Starck as "the chair I see when I close my eyes", the Icon Chair was created as a stackable version of the French designer's Hudson Chair for Emeco – both launched in 2000 during Milan's Salone Internazionale del Mobile.
Emeco has manufactured and designed chairs built from 80 per cent recycled aluminium since 1944, when it began producing furniture for the US Navy.
The Hudson and Icon chairs were the first designs launched as part of Starck and Emeco chairman Gregg Buchbinder's Heritage Against Recycling project, which aimed to not only recycle material but use it to create products that would last for 150 years.
"Working with Emeco has allowed me to use a recycled material and transform it into something that never needs to be discarded – a tireless and unbreakable chair to use and enjoy for a lifetime," said Starck.
His chair is designed for use in hotels, bars and restaurants, as well as training centres, meeting areas and schools.
"It is a chair you never own, you just use it for a while until it is the next person's turn," Starck said. "A great chair never should have to be recycled. This is good consideration of nature and mankind."
The simple square-section frame creates an outline that forms the rectangular back, which extends down into the two rear legs. The front legs are moulded around the seat, which is indented to better accommodate the shape of the sitter.
Also available as a counter stool and bar stool version, the Icon Chair comes in hand-brushed or hand-polished aluminium.
Philippe Starck has designed a number of recognisable chairs, including the Baroque-style Louis Ghost Chair created in plastic and the Masters Chair, which combines the silhouettes of three iconic Modernist seats – both produced by Italian brand Kartell.