Frank Gehry
Wiggle Side Chair
Replica
Frank Gehry
1972
The Wiggle side chair stands testament to legendary architect Frank Gehry’s genius. Gehry discovered that alternating the direction of compressed and glued layers of corrugated cardboard would produce a finished board with enough strength to support a small car, as well as a uniform, velvety texture on all four sides. On its launch in 1972, the press and public immediately went wild for the narrow slab bent into an S-shaped seat, so much so that Gehry worried its popularity would eclipse the acclaim for his architectural skills. He quit production of the Easy Edges collection in 1973, and cardboard furniture altogether in 1982. Thus ended his brief but memorable foray into furniture design. Perhaps the most beautiful chair ever created and an icon of modern design.
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“I think it’s important to create spaces that people like to be in, that are humanistic.”
Frank Gehry
Frank Gehry was one of the first furniture designers to produce cardboard furniture. An alternative to plastic was in demand but it was difficult to match plastic’s lightweight flexibility.
The Wiggle chair and stool are part of the Easy Edges collection. The collection is widely represented in Museums of Modern Art.
Many have looked at this playful Wiggle chair and said that the sides are evocative of a winding river or a mountain road.
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Unique Comfort
This unorthodox design is surprisingly comfortable. The slightly cantilevered chair is so unusual that it begs the individual to sit in it. The Wiggle chair can be accompanied by the matching foot stool, creating ultimate comfort by allowing the individual to lean back and kick up her feet.
Quality and Craftsmanship
Corrugated cardboard is glued together and carefully cut by hand. Cardboard is an unusual material in the field of furniture design, but exceptionally strong and robust when when layered together. The Wiggle chair is completely natural, recyclable and biodegradable. Hardboard, which is used on the sides of the Wiggle chair, is dense and strong and will not split or crack.
Frank Gehry was born in Toronto, Canada in 1929. He gained U.S. citizenship and obtained a degree in architecture from the University of Southern California. Later, he was admitted to the Harvard Graduate School of Design to study urban planning. Gehry worked for Victor Gruen Associates for many years until he decided to start his own firm in 1962. After designing the Easy Edges collection between 1969 and 1972, Gehry soon halted production as he was afraid it would overshadow his career as an architect. Frank Gehry has taught architecture at Yale and at Harvard, and currently resides in Los Angeles.
“With every project, no matter how small, act as if it’s the most important one.”
Frank Gehry
Product Literature
Approximately 60 layers of sturdy cardboard constitute the Wiggle chair. It is layered in alternate directions and glued together. The hardboard sides create a neat suede-like finish. Completely handcrafted, the cardboard is meticulously cut into folds. Our reproduction of the Wiggle chair stays true to the original specifications.
Product Materials
Body: Corrugated cardboard
Sides: Natural hardboard
Product Dimensions
Height: 87cm
Width: 35cm
Depth: 61cm
Seat height: 43cm
Carrying weight: 500kg
Weight as shipped: 7.5kg
Footstool
Height: 41cm
Width: 43cm
Depth: 40cm
Care Instructions
Cardboard must not get wet. It can be dusted or vacuumed for regular maintenance. The sides can be wiped with a cloth.