Artek Helsinki Special - Chair 611 "Savoy" oak, black leather

Artek - Chair 611 "Savoy" oak, black leather.

Artek's chair 611 is a 1929 design classic by famous Finnish designer Alvar Aalto.

The Savoy version of the 611 chair, designed by Alvar Aalto in 1929, has an oak frame and a solid upholstered seat upholstered in black leather. The back of the chair is braided with leather. The 611 chair with oak frame was custom-made for Restaurant Savoy in Helsinki.

Color: natural oak, black leather.
Dimensions: Width 48.5 cm Depth 49 cm Height 80 cm Seat height 42.5 cm
Frame material: Clear lacquered solid oak. Felt glides mounted.
Seat material: Webbing 100% leather
Stackable (max. 5 pieces)

About the designer:

Hugo Alvar Henrik Aalto (February 3, 1898 – May 11, 1976) was a Finnish modernist architect and industrial designer. Aalto was one of the first and most influential architects of the modern movement in Scandinavia. He was a member of the CIAM. (Congrès Internationaux d'Architecture Moderne) Important works by Alvar Aalto are the Finlandia hall in Helsinki, the town hall in Säynätsalo and the campus of the Technical University of Helsinki.Most of his buildings are located throughout Finland, but also abroad. He was also known for his designs for furniture and glassware, including the Aalto vase (1936, see image), which refers to the contours of a Finnish lake. Aalto is also the man behind the Artek furniture.

More:

"Alvar Aalto (1898-1976) is probably the most famous Finnish architect and designer in the world. In 1921, Alvar Aalto obtained a degree in Architecture from the Helsinki Institute of Technology and began his career as an architect. One of the most important works commissioned was the planning of the tuberculosis sanatorium in Paimio, Finland. This project also marked the beginning of Aalto's career as a furniture designer - in fact this was the first building planned by Aalto to be completely furnished with furniture designed by Aalto himself - including the lighting. Other major projects completed by Alvar Aalto include the Municipal Library of Viipuri, Villa Mairea, La Maison Carré, and the Finnish pavilions for the 1937 Paris and 1939 New York World Expositions.

About Artek:

"Artek was founded in 1935 by four young idealists: Alvar and Aino Aalto, Maire Gullichsen, and Nils-Gustav Hahl. The business strategy of the company was “to sell furniture and to promote a modern culture of living by exhibitions and other educational means”. The founders of Artek advocated a new kind of environment for everyday life.

They believed in a grand synthesis of the arts and wanted to make a difference in architecture and design as well as in town planning. Today Artek is renowned as being one of the most innovative contributors to modern design, creating new paths at the intersection of design, architecture and art. The Artek collection comprises furniture, lighting and accessories by the Nordic masters Alvar Aalto, Ilmari Tapiovaara, Tapio Wirkkala, Eero Aarnio and Yrjö Kukkapuro. Artek also works with leading international architects, designers and artists, such as Shigeru Ban, Konstantin Grcic, Hella Jongerius, Harri Koskinen, Enzo Mari and Tobias Rehberger.

Artek’s collection is based on the original idea of standards and systems, initiated by Alvar Aalto’s bent wood experiments that resulted in the L-leg system. The L-leg, a solid wood leg with a laminated part bent at 90°, was patented in 1933 and quickly became a standard component of Aalto’s furniture designs. The standard and system thinking makes the furniture range versatile and allows it to be customised for individual projects.

Artek’s furniture can be found in various types of spaces: public areas, private homes, museums, schools, restaurants, hotels and offices. Artek's headquarter is in Helsinki, Finland, where Artek also operates four retail spaces: the Artek flagship store at Esplanadi, Artek 2nd Cycle, Artek Aitta and the Vitra Store Helsinki. International offices are located in New York, Tokyo, Stockholm and Berlin, where the international marketing team is based."