The generations of the Safari Chair
The generations of the Safari Chair
The safari chair's journey, from Kaare Klint's classic to modern interpretations by Elias Svedberg, Arne Norell, and Bror Boije, has left an indelible mark on design history. This iconic furniture piece continues to inspire design enthusiasts worldwide.
The so-called safari chair has for a long time been an object of interest for architects and furniture designers. The lightness, the simplicity, and the clear division between the carrying and the carried have inspired different generations to their interpretations and reinterpretations.
The first modern version, the KK 47000 chair was designed back in 1933 by “the father of Danish furniture design” Kaare Klint (1888–1954). Klint transformed the historical archetype into a modern Safari chair classic that became a recurring type of furniture for decades to come. Several prominent furniture designers have since taken on the task of designing their own version of Klint´s.
Elias Svedberg (1913-1987) designed his version of the safari chair called the Triva Chair in 1944. It was launched in the range of the NK Triva Series and produced by NK Verkstäder (eng. NK´s Workshop) in Nyköping, near Stockholm.
Twenty years later upholsterer and designer Arne Norell (1917-1971) designed the Sirocco chair for his own company Norell Möbel. Sirocco proved to be a great sales success and led to the Norell brand being known even outside Europe. After 60 years the chair is still manufactured by the Norell company, today run by Arne´s daughter Marie Norell Möller.
The interior architect Bror Boije (b.1942) is one of the foremost Swedish furniture designers of the 1970s. In 1968 he made his debut with the armchair series Junker for DUX - Bra Bohag, only 26 years old. Junker was a modernization of the classic safari chair and received a very positive reception. This was followed by a long series of successful collaborations with Swedish furniture manufacturers. As a freelance designer, Boije built his brand alongside the clients', in a way that was typical of the 1970s design generation.
This article was written by Lars Bülow
