Not on display

De La Warr Pavilion Chair

Armchair
2005-2006 (designed), 2008 (manufactured)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

In 2004 the designers Ed Barber and Jay Osgerby were selected to design new furniture for the restoration of the De La Warr Pavilion at Bexhill-on-Sea, Sussex, an iconic Modernist seaside leisure centre designed in 1935 by Erich Mendelsohn and Serge Chermayeff. The tubular arms and pierced decoration were responses to the severe Modernist forms of the building, notably the tubular metal hand rails on doors and staircases. Barber Osgerby reasoned that the chairs would mostly be seen from behind, clustered around tables, so gave the backs a twist with floor-level stretchers, creating complete loops of metal for the rear legs. The chairs were made for the Pavilion by a relatively new British furniture manufacturer, Established & Sons, which subsequently mass-produced the chair in a variety of colours, including black.

Object details

Category
Object type
TitleDe La Warr Pavilion Chair (manufacturer's title)
Materials and techniques
Cast, tubular and pressed aluminium, nylon
Brief description
Black De La Warr armchair, designed by Barber Osgerby, 2005-6, manufactured by Established & Sons, Britain, 2008, aluminium, nylon
Physical description
Black aluminium armchair with floor level stretcher between rear legs, pierced metal seat and back panel, tubular arms.
Dimensions
  • Height: 780mm
  • Width: 585mm
  • Depth: 565mm
Dimensions taken from manufacturer's information. Object not measured
Production typeMass produced
Credit line
Given by Established & Sons
Object history
Originally designed for the De La Warr Pavilion, Bexhill-on-Sea, Sussex. Chairs without upholstery, like this, were intended for use on the outdoor terraces. All the Pavilion's chairs were bright red and were the only chairs made in that colourway. This is an example of the unlimited production version that followed.
Summary
In 2004 the designers Ed Barber and Jay Osgerby were selected to design new furniture for the restoration of the De La Warr Pavilion at Bexhill-on-Sea, Sussex, an iconic Modernist seaside leisure centre designed in 1935 by Erich Mendelsohn and Serge Chermayeff. The tubular arms and pierced decoration were responses to the severe Modernist forms of the building, notably the tubular metal hand rails on doors and staircases. Barber Osgerby reasoned that the chairs would mostly be seen from behind, clustered around tables, so gave the backs a twist with floor-level stretchers, creating complete loops of metal for the rear legs. The chairs were made for the Pavilion by a relatively new British furniture manufacturer, Established & Sons, which subsequently mass-produced the chair in a variety of colours, including black.
Associated object
W.30-2008 (Colourway)
Collection
Accession number
W.31-2008

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Record createdOctober 8, 2008
Record URL
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