Vitra Landi chair

Design Hans Coray, 1938

The Vitra Landi chair - a real classic

The Landi chair bears this proud name because it was developed as furniture for the Swiss National Exhibition in 1939 and represents a milestone in the design history of the 20th century: With this chair from 1938, the linguist Hans Coray created a novel design language of a three-dimensionally deformed seat shell with a separate U-shaped base that simultaneously serves as a low armrest and chair leg. The chair is made entirely of aluminum, the assembled seat shell is held in place by the base frame via two crossbars, so that little material is used. The 91 punched holes provide lightness, flexibility and a distinctive graceful expression. As puristic as the chair appears, the production of the Landi is complicated, involving numerous work steps and elaborate manual work. The surface of the chair appears silvery, as it has been anodized matt, and can therefore also be used outdoors. The article pleases both inside and outside on private terraces or in restaurants and cafés. The practical Landi chair is stackable up to six pieces. Although the aluminium surface is durable and weatherproof, careless stacking of the chairs can cause signs of wear and tear.

The designer Hans Coray

The Swiss Hans Coray (1906-1991) studied Romance languages and literature at the University of Zurich and completed his studies in 1929 with a doctorate. From 1930 he worked as a furniture designer with a focus on functionality and simplicity, and from 1950 as a painter and sculptor. With a group of artists of that time he belonged to the cultural circle of the Zurich School of Concrete Art. The Landi chair by Hans Coray was created for the competition of the "Landi" (Swiss National Exhibition). The stackable chair is light, stable, unadorned and decorates numerous design museums around the world. In addition to the world-famous Landy chair, Coray developed the Coray chair named after him in 1953. Unlike its "older brother", the Landy chair is less of an armchair and more of a classic chair, which with its seat height of 44 cm fits any table. The Coray chairs are just as stackable and weatherproof as the Landi; they are also available in plywood or with removable felt pads for the aluminum models.