1963 Hans J. Wegner chair reimagined in marble and carbon fibre

Architectural firm Zaha Hadid Architects, engineering firm AKT-II, New Fundamentals Research Group and stone fabricator Generelli SA collaborated to reinterpret an iconic 1963 design by renowned Danish designer Hans J. Wegner, using marble and carbon fibre.

The team used contemporary techniques to create the so-called Lapella chair. The original was envisaged in steam-bent plywood and fabric, which are of course much lighter than marble. To make up for the weight, the designers combined Italian Palissando Marble with lightweight and string carbon fibre. The chair harnesses stone’s compressive properties and carbon fibre’s tensile properties.

The chair has a winglike silhouette, with three tapered legs. The stone was milled using CNC machinery, and the caron fibre was inserted in layers using a vaccum. To finish the chair, the stone was polished and cleaned.

To create the chair, a structural analysis was made, addressing the tolerances, curvature thresholds and mass distribution of stone. The design was modified to minimise the effects of bending within the form itself. The result is the thinnest and lightest structure possible with this design and these materials.

Photos: Gothamfotografia (via AKT-II)