GERRIT RIETVELD, 1934
OBJECT
Throughout his career, Rietveld designed several chairs that were meant to be made from a single material without seams. For the Dutch designer, master of Neoplasticism and a key figure of the De Stijl movement, this concept represented the ultimate construction puzzle.
The Zig Zag chair is one of the most interesting variations of this idea, and probably the most successful in design history. Made from a single sheet of high-quality wood, with a very bold construction (even though it does involve seams), the Zig Zag is considered the purest example of the synthesis between form and construction in Rietveld’s work.
Zig Zag CHAIR: THE PROJECT
Gerrit Thomas Rietveld, the great architect and cabinetmaker from Utrecht, was a pivotal figure in European modern art, inspiring generations of designers.
His work remains highly regarded and relevant today. He was part of the De Stijl movement led by Theo Van Doesburg and, alongside the Bauhaus in Germany and the Modernism of Le Corbusier in France, he was one of the driving forces of modernist design.
Rietveld created several pieces of furniture that are still considered radical and avant-garde, such as the Red and Blue Chair, the Steltman Chair, and the Crate Chair, to name a few.
The Zig Zag, a design from the 1930s, emerged only after a series of experiments with different materials, with the goal of creating a chair from a single material without seams. Attempts to make the design using fiber, steel tubing, plywood, and sheet metal were unsuccessful. Ultimately, the use of four panels of Bruynzeel wood proved to be the simplest and most durable solution.
In the 1930s and 1940s, Rietveld produced several variations of the Zig Zag chair, most of which were made by Metz & Co but are no longer in production today. The current version by Cassina is a beautiful piece, featuring no screws but visible dovetail joints.
THE ZIG-ZAG CHAIR IN MUSEUMS
The influence of Rietveld’s design and construction principles remains strong nearly a century after the creation of his radical design pieces. Culturally, Rietveld’s furniture has had a tremendous impact and is now part of the collections of the world’s most prestigious design museums.
In Utrecht, you can visit the Rietveld Schröder House, his most famous architectural work, which also showcases the Dutch master’s furniture, providing insight into how his pieces were intended to be used in everyday life. Other collections where you can see a Zig-Zag chair include the MoMA in New York, the Met, and the Boijmans van Beuningen Museum in Rotterdam, among others.
GERRIT RIETVELD
Gerrit Rietveld (1888-1964) was a designer and architect from Utrecht, a key figure in neoplasticism and the De Stijl movement. In addition to the UNESCO-listed Rietveld Schröder House and numerous architectural projects, Rietveld designed furniture throughout his career. His Red and Blue Chair is a symbol of 20th-century modernist design.
CASSINA
Founded in 1927 in Brianza by brothers Cesare and Umberto, Cassina is a benchmark for Italian design, thanks to famous collaborations with Gio Ponti, Vico Magistretti, Achille Castiglioni, and today’s leading contemporary designers. With the “I Maestri” line, Cassina also produces iconic pieces of early modernist design, such as those by Mackintosh, Rietveld, and Le Corbusier.
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DETAILS
Produced by Cassina
You can find the original version of the Zig Zag chair online on Mohd.it >
Total width: 37 cm
Total depth: 48 cm
Total height: 74 cm
Seat depth: 37 cm
Seat height: 43 cm
Backrest height: 43 cm
Natural cherry or natural ash, available in red, blue, yellow, white, and black.
