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Citizen chair by Vitra

Citizen lounge chair by Konstantin Grcic for Vitra

Dezeen Showroom: Swiss brand Vitra has collaborated with Konstantin Grcic to create the Citizen seating collection that challenges the aesthetic and "voluptuous upholstery" of traditional lounge chairs.

The Citizen lounge chairs are celebrated by Vitra for their unconventional form, characterised by a tubular steel structure and the semicircular contour of its backrest that envelops the upper body of the sitter.

Additionally, the chairs feature a swivel base and a seat that is suspended from three cables, fixed to the steel frame, which allows it to swing gently in all directions.

Vitra and Grcic's ambition for the collection was to create a new style of lounge chair that prioritised comfort over a "prestigious" finish.

"Citizen presents a deliberate alternative to conventional lounge chairs with voluptuous upholstery," explained Vitra. "It is not so much designed to look prestigious and imposing as to express a new understanding of comfort."

Citizen is available in two models that offer different backrest heights, aptly named Citizen Highback and Citizen Lowback. The Citizen Highback is designed for use as a statement piece within a space, while the Citizen Lowback version is intended to be arranged in groups for seating in public lounges and lobbies.

A range of upholstery options is also available, including speckled prints and block colours. The chosen material is applied across the seat and back, while a neck pillow can be created in a contrasting colour.

"Citizen combines familiar elements with an entirely new type of construction, which we developed together over many years," concluded Grcic. "For me, it was a very enriching experience to devote so much time and attention to the development of a single idea."

Product: Citizen
Designer: Konstantin Grcic
Brand: Vitra
Contact address: [email protected]

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Citizen chair by Vitra
Citizen chair by Vitra
Citizen chair by Vitra
Citizen chair by Vitra