98
99
CH07 SHELL CHAIR
FRAME Smoked oak, oak oil BACK + SEAT Hallingdal 600 LEGS Oak, oil
CH07
SHELL CHAIR
Wegner’s architectural expertise and absolute determination
create the ultimate sense of proportion and balance.
When Wegner unveiled the design in 1963, some critics
loved the avant-garde look, but the general public was
reluctant to accept its bold expression. The mixed reviews
of the 1960s resulted in very limited production. When
Carl Hansen & Søn reintroduced the Shell Chair in 1998,
however, it immediately won broad public admiration.
The design’s floating lightness is achieved through its
wing-like lines and the arches of its tapered, laminated legs.
The curved shells of the chair’s signature seat and back are
crafted from compression-molded veneer and upholstered,
cradling the user in generous comfort. The front legs are
crafted from one piece of veneer and the back leg from
another, resulting in a uniquely stable and beautiful form.
In short, the Shell Chair is an ideal embodiment of Wegner’s
belief that a chair should have no back side, but rather be
beautiful from all angles.
Considered today as one of Hans J. Wegner’s most iconic, groundbreaking works,
the Shell Chair patiently waited for the spotlight for several decades.
