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ACX is your tenth task chair
for Vitra. Can you tell us some-
thing about this impressive
collaboration?
And after 30 years of collabo-
ration, I can say that ACX is the
result of continuous development,
shared knowledge and a close,
lasting partnership.
Was sustainability on your
mind while designing ACX?
More than that. The design process
was wholly guided by the principle
of sustainability, with the aim
of using, for example, only recy-
cled materials where possible.
The structural elements in ACX
are made of approximately 60%
post-industrial recycled materials.
So did the product’s life cycle
also influence its development?
Yes, nowadays you design with the
product’s end of life in mind,
trying to figure out how it can be
easily dismantled and recycled to
reduce waste. Depending on the
chosen model, ACX is up to 100%
recyclable.
And what was the goal of
the design process in terms
of aesthetics?
The idea was to have a compact,
inviting chair, with a reduced
backrest and a warm array of up-
holstery colours, suited for work-
spaces in the home and office.
ACX is equipped with a
new automatic mechanism.
Does this impact the manner
in which it can be used in
the office?
Yes, the chair components must
no longer be individually adjusted
as the mechanism automatically
adapts to the user’s weight – but
the adjustment options are still
provided, of course. It is therefore
possible to sit down at any work-
station in an open-plan office and
enjoy instant comfort, only need-
ing to modify the seat height, if
necessary.
‘Nowadays you design with the
product’s end of life in mind,
trying to figure out how it can be
easily dismantled and recycled
to reduce waste.’
– Antonio Citterio
You are not just a designer,
but also an architect.
Which trends do you see in
the office spaces you design
today?
I have noticed that the office envi-
ronment is becoming more and
more collaborative, more relaxed,
less hierarchical, with the emer-
gence of more informal, flexible,
multi-purpose meeting spaces –
also including ‘disruptive’ ele-
ments inspired by residential am-
biences, such as plants, decorative
items and furniture with a focus on
comfort and well-being.
