Karuselli Lounge Chair

Karuselli Lounge Chair is designed by Yrjö Kukkapuro for Artek. The chair was developed over several years and was completed in 1964, focusing on the interplay between function, ergonomics and organic form.

In working on the armchair, Kukkapuro investigated how the body positions itself in a relaxed sitting position. To determine the proportions of the chair, he wrapped his own body in chicken wire and created a plaster cast of himself in a resting position. The method became part of the process behind the chair's design and dimensions. The result is a lounge chair where the shape is based on the body and its position when sitting and resting.

When Karuselli was completed in 1964, the model quickly gained international attention. In 1966, the architect and designer Gio Ponti chose Karuselli for the cover of Domus magazine. The chair also came to the attention of Sir Terence Conran, who described it as his favorite chair. Karuselli thus belongs to Yrjö Kukkapuro's works where ergonomics, function and sculptural form meet in a piece of furniture intended for relaxed sitting.