Designed by Eero Saarinen in 1948, the groundbreaking Womb Chair defied the era’s conventions of what a chair could be, both in the techniques and technology that allowed for its form, and ultimately, in its nonprescriptive function. Its acceptance of all postures speaks to the primal comfort of the womb—the security of which Eero believed people yearn. Upon its release, the designer remarked, “Now, more than ever, we need to relax.” His words, and the Womb Chair, remain as resonant today as…
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