The Wiggle Chair: The History Of A Design Icon

The Wiggle chair. While it sounds like a PBS children’s special, this perch is anything but juvenile. The chair was created by architect Frank Gehry in 1969 after being hired to re-design a famous artist’s studio on a shoestring budget. As a result, Gehry improvised, trying out ideas for building inexpensive furniture from office materials. He realized if he alternated the directions of cardboard, creating ribbon-like geometrical forms, it could support a tremendous amount of weight. Gehry included the chair in his final design for the studio and the Wiggle side chair was born. As word of the futuristic-looking piece spread, demand soared, and Gehry introduced an entire line of cardboard furniture he named Easy Edges.

Gehry, concerned Easy Edges would take away from his true passion for architecture, sold the design in 1982 to Vitra. The company still offers Wiggle chairs today (starting at $1,175). Love it or hate it, this modern accent continues to make its appearance in hallways, living rooms, and offices…

Above: The playful nature of these perches invites a rousing game of chess in the corner of this Master suite

Photo by Marcus Peel

Jafar Dajani gives a Dubai villa’s office an edge with a white-edged limited edition Wiggle chair
Photo by Cameron Clegg

A Wiggle chair graces the hallway of the Copenhagen home of Ellen Dixdotter

Via My Scandinavian Home

Boston based designer Annsley McAleer adds a Wiggle chair to a preppy beach house.