One of two stacking school chairs in beech wood, the 'Alterna', designed and made by Fritz Hansens. Danish, 1983.

Beech chair, one of two stackable models made for schools. The legs are red tubular metal, designed to allow the chair to rock back and forth. Originally called the Duplo, this model was later renamed the Alterna.

Given by Fritz Hansen Eft.

The school furniture research project in Denamrk, of which the design of these chairs was a part, was overseen by Ib Pors Nielsen. Extensive studies were carried out by the Federation of Danish Architects and sponsored by the Ministry of Education, and a fund set up by the National Bank. Teachers, pupils of various age groups, school janitors, physiotherapists and many others were questioned at length. It is a credit to the designer that on the basis of so much conflicting evidence thrown up by interviewing so many different groups of people, he devised an elegant and practical solution which seems to neatly answer to the pupil's needs. There were four sizes proposed for different age groups. A six page report exists on the Danish consultation in the object file in the Furniture dept.

W.11A-1984