It is no great wonder that for the Gate Theatre's Dublin Theatre Festival production of Florian Zeller's The Father, set designer Francis O'Connor picked an Eames Lounge Chair Wood – or LCW as it is more usually known.
It is one of just three pieces of furniture in the cool minimalist set – the idea being to show a highly sophisticated, contemporary and very upmarket Parisian apartment – where everything about the owners is the epitome of good taste. In the play it is either a real place or an imaginary construct in the mind of the confused father.
For all that, the LCW is perfect. Designed in 1946 by the American design duo Charles and Ray Eames, the low chair, made by Herman Miller, was another expression of their experimentation with moulded plywood using techniques Charles learned during the second World War in the aeronautics industry.
Originally made in rosewood or mahogany ply, later versions were upholstered – although not “upholstered” as was generally understood at the time: the thin padding is limited to the back and seat – the shape and basic material of the chair is always on view.
That they even called their sculptural, light chair a "lounge chair" was a challenge to the idea of what was then thought of as a comfortable living room chair. For a chair so determinedly squat in appearance it is undeniably elegant – and comfortable. In 1999 Time magazine included it in its list of the Best Design of the 20th Century where it was described as "light and comfortable. Much copied by never bettered."
