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Chairs: Part 2

What is a chair? Two connotations spring to mind: 1) to preside over, as in a committee; 2) that which resides under the bottom and supports the back; a seat. A chair is an office held by a person or, alternatively, a device that supports a person in an office. Every chairman needs a chair but not every chair needs a chairman.

As a piece of furniture, a chair is meant for a single person, as opposed to, say, a love seat, which is a type of sofa. In my opinion, a chair must have a back; otherwise, it is a stool. I would also say that one’s feet should be able to rest on the ground (e.g. not a bar stool even if it has a back).

Then again, designers such as Ron Arad challenge all preconceptions...






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