Verner Panton, 1959-1960

Verner Panton was one of the most influential designers of the 1960s and ’70s. Born in Denmark, Panton relocated to Switzerland in the early 1960s. He became known for his original and imaginative designs in the fields of furniture, lighting and textiles. Installations such as the legendary ’Visiona’ exhibition demonstrated Panton’s masterful use of colour, a hallmark of his work.

In addition to his experiments with shape and colour, Verner Panton was enthusiastic about the design potential of plastic, a new material at the time. One of his ambitions was to create a comfortable, all-purpose plastic chair moulded in a single piece. Panton’s long search for a manufacturer led to his initial contact with Vitra in 1963. The Panton Chair, a collaborative effort, was developed with Vitra and finally introduced to the public in 1967

 

Hard foam plastic shell, surface painted with a gloss lacquer.