When we met Italian designer Alberto Meda at Orgatec 2010 he told us that he was working on his next project for Vitra. And that it would be a chair.
And that was all he told us.
At Orgatec 2012 the secret was revealed when Vitra released the office swivel chair Physix.
Presented as a continuation of an idea began by Mies van der Rohe with his MR20 cantilever chair and continued by Charles and Ray Eames with their Aluminium Chair collection, Physix adds a new dimension to a familiar form language - elasticity.
Whereas more conventional office chairs can swivel and/or tilt forward and backward, the design of Physix, in conjunction with its combination of knitted elastic fabric and modern polyamide shell, allows the chair to move with the user: forward, backward, left, right ..... but most importantly, diagonally.
The result is not just a more dynamic sitting experience, but a chair that through imitating the user's natural movement can help optimise the work day. At least for all those whose job involves regular movement.
But perhaps best of all is the fact that Physix is not competition and/or a replacement for Alberto Meda's highly successful Medapal and Medapro office chairs for Vitra, but rather a compliment and extension of the options.
It's a different generation of swivel chair but one that is formally compatible with its relatives.
And for all in - or near - Germany, until the end of 2013 your local Vitra dealer is offering the chance to win a Physix: simply "test-drive" an example in-store and enter the free prize draw. In addition all "test-drivers" qualify for an instant €100 discount at participating Vitra stores.
Our colleagues at (smow) Stuttgart, (smow) Chemnitz, (smow) Cologne, (smow) Leipzig and (smow) Erfurt have already had a few interested, and interesting, visitors......
