Wiggle Chair
Designer: Frank Gehry // Date: 1972In the 1960s a trend for cheap and lightweight materials led to experiments with using cardboard in furniture design. Designer and architect Frank Gehry developed a cardboard material called 'edge board' that used multiple layers of corrugated cardboard glued together to make it strong enough to be practical. The Wiggle Chair is designed using this innovative material.
The Wiggle Chair is named for the fluid bend shape that supports the seat. The edges of the multiple cardboard sheets create interesting and unusual patterns, and give the surface of the chair an interesting texture. The flat sides of the chair are covered with hardboard.
The Wiggle Chair is made of corrugated cardboard. Multiple sheets are glued together in alternate directions creating a material similar to plywood. Previous experiments using cardboard in furniture design had been abandoned because the material was not sufficiently durable. This design solution, an innovation of Frank Gehry's, allowed the creation of robust furniture and sculptural designs.
Although Frank Gehry also used his cardboard 'Edge Board' to create sculptural pieces, the Wiggle Chair was designed as a practical piece of furniture. Its construction makes it hard wearing enough to be used as an every day chair. The curved support gives it a solid foundation and the sloped seat and high back provide a comfortable seat.
The Wiggle Chair was designed to be mass produced. Its cardboard construction is more ecologically sound than other contemporary furniture materials, such as plastic. Introduced in the 1970s it was instantly popular, but Frank Gehry discontinued production to concentrate on his architectural practice. It can still be bought today but it can be very expensive, despite the cheap materials!
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