Transitional clothing—outfits that seamlessly take one from season to season, or from work to play—have long been a thing in fashion. How might the concept work in furniture? Icelandic designer Hlynur Atlason suggests one possibility in his fluid Lína Swivel Chair, out this month exclusively from Design Within Reach. With its metal frame, steel base, and cold-molded polyurethane foam padding, the shapely seat toes the line between office and home, à la co-working spaces, and has a minimal footprint that makes it appear smaller than it actually is. (Those who visited The Diner during this spring’s Milan Design Week may remember the stout seat, sprinkled about architect David Rockwell’s ingenious design.) To further its connection with the space it inhabits, the chair is available in a range of fabric or leather upholstery. Also, importantly, it spins.
Lína began with Atlason’s desire to create a chair with no straight lines from a single, solid form. The New York–based designer’s hands-on approach meant that, to perfect the look and feel of his undulating piece, he and his team 3D-printed (and even upholstered) a full-size version of the chair. The method allowed them to sculpt Lína’s curves just so; once perfected, the prototype was used to make the mold from which future iterations would be made. The compact, understated seat earns the most points in comfort: Sitting in it is akin to receiving a giant, gentle hug.
