Wood and leather are perfectly combined into the modernized version of the Metropolitan Chair, created by the well-known Danish designers Ejner Larsen and Aksel Bender Madsen. Originally designed in 1949 and part of the collection Carl Hansen & Son since 2014 in the leather covered version, the chair is now available in a new version with a veneered wood backrest and a leather seat.
Sculptural shapes and well-designed proportions combined with an excellent artisan’s quality are still the main features of this iconic complement.
“It is a special chair. Its shapes, ideally designed for the needs of modern clients, are even more distinctive with the wooden backrest”, Knud Erik Hansen, CEO of Carl Hansen & Son, describes so the modernized product.
Originally conceived as a conference chair, the Metropolitan Chair was presented for the first time at the Copenhagen Cabinetmakers’ Guild Furniture Exhibition, in a version with seat and backrest made of wood, getting great attention, due to the concave structure. Ten years later, in 1960, a new version - completely upholstered in leather - appeared. Then, the designers worked also for a version with a veneered wood backrest and a leather seat; today the two materials are combined together into a remarkably elegant project.
“Compared to the Metropolitan Chair completely covered in leather, this version offers absolutely new possibilities. In particular, wood is more visible, thus giving a more organic look; as well as the opportunity to leverage our complete leather collection, therefore, choosing from a wider palette of colors. Moreover, this essential style version has a casual look that makes it suitable in the house, where it can be perfectly combined with a wooden table with coordinated finishes”, Knud Erik Hansen explains. “Due to its elegance and the excellent comfort, this chair is a perfect choice for the dining room as well as conferences and meetings. It can also suit very well as a chair for the guests in the office or simply as a sculptural element for the house”, he adds.
During the collaboration with Ejner Larsen and Aksel Bender Madsen, about 300 pieces have been produced, but the Metropolitan Chair is certainly the most successful: a project that can find space also in modern times.
The new entry is available with leather seat and backrest made of oak or walnut in a variety of finishes or with fully leather upholstered seat and backrest, cognac or black.
