Cover The Womb Chair (Photo: Knoll)
The Womb Chair (Photo: Knoll)
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The iconic chair that brought Midcentury Modernism to the American mainstream celebrates its 75th birthday
Finnish-American architect Eero Saarinen's icon of mid-century design, the Womb chair, celebrates its 75th birthday this year. Still manufactured by American design brand Knoll, the Womb chair became a cultural phenomenon shortly after its release and is part of the MoMA permanent collection.
Its design can be traced back to a request made by furniture doyenne and a formidable designer herself, Florence Knoll, who desired a chair that would envelop its occupant like a basket filled with pillows.
This request led to the creation of the Womb chair in 1948. However, the roots of the chair can be traced even further back to the 1941 Organic Design in Home Furnishings competition held at MoMA.
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Above Eero Saarinen (Photo: WikiCommons/Balthazar Korab)
Eero Saarinen (Photo: WikiCommons/Balthazar Korab)
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During the competition, Saarinen and his colleague Charles Eames, who worked at Cranbrook Academy of Art then, submitted a suite of furniture designs that included chairs with curvaceous forms moulded from plywood.
Although their designs won the competition, they were deemed too expensive and complicated to manufacture and thus never made it into production. Despite this setback, the competition served as a pivotal moment for Saarinen and Eames, as it planted the seed for the future development of the Womb chair.
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Above Herbert Matter chief graphic designer for Knoll from 1946 to 1966, shaped the print ads and product catalog that helped launch the Womb Chair into the stratosphere of design (Photo: @knoll/ Instagram)
Above Herbert Matter chief graphic designer for Knoll from 1946 to 1966, shaped the print ads and product catalog that helped launch the Womb Chair into the stratosphere of design (Photo: @knoll/ Instagram)
Herbert Matter chief graphic designer for Knoll from 1946 to 1966, shaped the print ads and product catalog that helped launch the Womb Chair into the stratosphere of design (Photo: @knoll/ Instagram)
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A few years later, when Florence Knoll expressed her desire for a spacious seat that offered freedom of movement, she and Saarinen revisited the concept they had explored during the competition.
While moulded plywood proved inadequate for the large-scale design they envisioned, they found a solution in fibreglass. Collaborating with a shipbuilder, they crafted an organic shell with indented armrests, then upholstered in foam, covered with fabric, filled with cushions, and supported by a sturdy metal frame.
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Above The Womb Chair in Gropius House (Photo: WikiCommons/HABS MA-1228)
The Womb Chair in Gropius House (Photo: WikiCommons/HABS MA-1228)
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Initially known as the Series 70, the chair gained its iconic name when Saarinen wrote in 1949 that “a great number of people have never really felt comfortable and secure since they left the womb.”
This remark encapsulated the essence of the chair, which cradled its sitter in a gentle cocoon-like embrace. The Womb chair quickly gained popularity and became a symbol of modern design, reshaping people's perceptions of beauty and comfort.
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Above The Womb Chair with ottoman (Photo: WikiCommons/Brooklynn Museum)
Above The Womb Chair in in the Milwaukee Art Museum (Photo: WikiCommons/Saiiko)
The Womb Chair with ottoman (Photo: WikiCommons/Brooklynn Museum)
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Its striking appearance, unlike anything else at the time, solidified its place in visual culture. Charles and Ray Eames themselves placed the Womb chair in their Pacific Palisades home in the early 1950s, reflecting its status as an influential design piece.
The chair made appearances in various media, further cementing its cultural significance. In 1956, Santa Claus lounged on a Womb chair in a Coca-Cola advertisement, capturing the public's imagination. Norman Rockwell even featured the chair on the cover of The Saturday Evening Post in 1959, reinforcing its presence in popular culture.
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Above Stylist Kate Young's upstaite New York home sports a Womb Chair (Photo: @kateyoung/ Instagram)
Stylist Kate Young's upstaite New York home sports a Womb Chair (Photo: @kateyoung/ Instagram)
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Over the years, the Womb chair has retained its popularity and continues to be highly sought-after.
Today, it can be found in various distinguished homes and spaces, including the Brooklynn home of Maggie Gyllenhaal and Peter Sarsgaard and stylist Kate Young's upstate New York residence.
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Above Maggie Gyllenhaal and Pete Sarsgaard's Brooklyn home features a womb chair (Photo: @architecturedigest/ Instagram)
Maggie Gyllenhaal and Pete Sarsgaard's Brooklyn home features a womb chair (Photo: @architecturedigest/ Instagram)
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The Womb chair's enduring appeal lies in its ability to evoke a sense of security and relaxation, creating an inviting sanctuary within the home.
Even after 75 years since its creation, the Womb chair remains an icon of modern design and continues to captivate and inspire both design enthusiasts and artists alike.
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Jennifer Choo is Regional Managing Editor of Tatler Homes, covering architecture, interior design, and art across Asia. Based in Malaysia, she oversees regional content on luxury residential design and contemporary art collections. Legally trained but choosing to pursue her passion for design, she previously led notable design publications and worked as an interior stylist and art consultant for property developers, design firms, and private clients.
