Armchair
Gerrit Thomas Rietveld 1935
Cassina

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The Chair 637 Utrecht was designed by Gerrit Thomas Rietveld for the department store Metz & Co. in Amsterdam in 1935. It is characterized by its maker’s artistic sense for form, function and detail.

 

Named after Rietveld’s birth place, the designer let his sense of adventure run wild when conceiving this exclusive chair. The 637 Utrecht can be seen as an icon of Neoplasticism, showing a uniquely sculptural form: Seat and backrest touch on the ground, turning armrests into legs. Another characteristic is the decorative stitching, the intricate zigzag stitch on the upholstery.

 

Dutchman Gerrit Rietveld is one of the most influential designers and architects of the 20th century. A carpenter by trade, Rietveld took on work in his parents’ workshop while joining the Stijl-movement around Theo van Doesburg and Piet Mondrian. His works from 1918 onward mirror the group’s artistic ideals.

 

Rietveld turned objects and buildings into abstract compositions made up of lines and areas, primarily in black, red, and blue. Regardless, he developed his legendary red and blue chair in 1918 initially without the prominent colorway – he only added this in 1923.
In 1924, his first architectural work followed, the renowned Rietveld-Schröder-House in Utrecht, a UNESCO world heritage site today.

 

Looking for ways to further develop his aesthetic concepts, Rietveld experimented with innovative materials like laminated wood and aluminium until the late 1930s, resulting in surprising pieces of furniture like the Zig-Zag Chair.

 

The 637 Utrecht Armchair is made of a steel frame, upholstered with polyester batting and polyurethane foam. It is available in a variety of leathers and textiles.

 

We will be happy to advise on the available options.

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W 64 cm
D 85 cm
H 70 cm
Seat Height 37 cm

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Starting at € 3.598,00