The practical chairs

As the “circuit breaker” measures — a stay-at-home order implemented as a preventive measure by the Singapore government in response to the pandemic — are lifted, you can now invite five friends over for dinner and you have been practicing your culinary skills. It is now time to put them to good use. Plus, you want your guests to be comfortable. One way to do that is to upgrade your dining chairs with the Vico Duo chairs that have been reissued by Fritz Hansen.

This year marks a significant milestone for the Vico Duo as it celebrates the 100th birthday of Vico Magistretti who designed the chair in 1997. The distinct feature is the stylish veneer and the stackability of the chairs were a crowd puller as it saves space and can be easily stored.

The chair’s design is a simple yet functional style: A loose ‘z’ line drawn across paper inspired the chair’s backward armrests — a usual element that intentionally balances the design. The armrests and back legs are one piece of steel — another unique aspect of the design. For added comfort, the armrests and back legs are made of one piece of steel.

Vico Magistretti was an award-winning Italian industrial designer hailing from a family of architects. He started his career by working for an architect firm that his father ran. Unfortunately, his father passed away suddenly and Magistretti took over the business, working on various projects ranging from buildings to appliances and furniture. His success was due in part to his work philosophy — he was once quoted as saying: “To be truly contemporary, one must always have a hand in the past and a hand in the future”