The office chair has been subject to many interpretations, such as the highly purist designs by the German architect Egon Eiermann. The G 125 wooden swivel chair was developed to mark the 125th anniversary of the Swiss company Girsberger. In its early beginnings, the company was successful in the production of piano stools that combined formal simplicity with sophisticated functionality – both are criteria, which constitute also the key elements of this chair, whereby it also features a highly contemporary appeal. A striking feature of the design is the wooden backrest. It expressively puts emphasis on the perfectly curved form, while the base frame appears well-balanced and elegant. This swivel chair deliberately does without the great array of functions that are often featured in office chairs. As an alternative design to common swivel chairs today, it offers only few possible adjustments. Also inspired by the traditional piano stool, it is however based on a surprisingly intelligent ergonomic concept. The U-shaped seat and backrest support made of quenched and tempered steel function as a flexible torsion rod, allowing for a comfortable rocking movement of seat and backrest. Thus, the G 125 provides sophisticated seating comfort without the need for complex tilting mechanisms and technical expenditure. The highly successful reinterpretation of classic predecessor models fascinates with its precisely tailored simplicity and beauty.
Statement by the Jury
Impressive simplicity inspired by European tradition. The G 125 wooden swivel chair shows a highly successful reduction to essential elements. As an alternative design to swivel chairs today, its design combines formal minimalism and a fascinatingly intelligent functionality. The innovative concept of a flexible torsion rod allows for excellent seating comfort. Its high quality is brought to perfection through the choice of fine woods as material.
