Designed by Konstantin Grcic for Vitra, Citizen is a product whose unconventional construction enables a surprising new way of sitting that is perfect for the new home office needs. Citizen was primarily developed for private interiors, but also has affinities with a number of other designs created by Konstantin Grcic and Vitra to address the needs of new working environments; this dual-purposed design is more relevant than ever as the two spaces blur.
The seat of the Citizen chair is suspended on three cables affixed to a steel frame to facilitate a swinging movement in all directions. The semicircular contour of the fixed backrest ergonomically envelops the upper body, preventing the sitter from slouching down in the armchair, and the cantilever structural frame of Citizen is mounted on a swivel base for additional flexibility. Citizen is available in two versions: Citizen Highback and Citizen Lowback. The upholstery covers can be selected from a range of materials.
"Citizen combines familiar elements with an entirely new type of construction, which we developed together over many years," Grcic said. "For me it was a very enriching experience to devote so much time and attention to the development of a single idea."
Citizen draws on a rich historical lineage of iconic designs, from the traditional rocking chair to the B.K.F Chair (1938) by Grupo Austral (now on display in MoMA), whose sack-like canvas or leather seat is suspended from a simple metal frame. A further reference is the swivel chair Karuselli (1965) by the Finnish designer Yrjö Kukkapuro, which features the clever solution of a seat shell hung from the base frame to allow new types of movement.
Photos: Courtesy of Vitra