Amoebe Chair, 1970 by Verner Panton for Vitra

I can say with confidence that this chair receives the most attention in the showroom from those looking for something off-beat, fun, and from those under the age of 15. Kids love this chair! (adults do too… they’re just, for the most part, more reserved about expressing unabashed glee for big purple chairs. Or yellow ones for that matter.

Amoebe Chair, 1970 by Verner Panton for Vitra

This chair also comes in an even cheekier version – the high back Amoebe. This design offers all the comfort of a lounge chair with a place to rest your head. It also has a little wrap over ceiling, you know, in case it starts to rain The curved top edge further emphasizes that whimsy that Verner Panton is known and loved for.

High Back Amoebe Chair by Verner Panton for Vitra

This chair is certainly not short of character – it’s human like form is very expressive – see below… Amoebe: “Let me out to play!”

High Back Amoebe Chair looking longingly outside by Verner Panton for Vitra

Available in an array of lovable colours, both Amoebes are orderable on our website and/or through our showroom – 250-384-2554. We also have a purple version in stock on SALE – check it out on our clearance page, here.

 

Designed by Verner Panton in 1969, the Living Tower embodied the spirit of the 60′s interactive ‘living’ landscapes.  Verner designed many great pieces, breaking away from the more traditional techniques and materials being used by his fellow designers. 

Hans J. Wegner Wishbone Chair

He took the living landscapes theme to a whole new level with the “Fantasy” Landscapes he created for Bayer in 1968 and 1970. 

"Visiona II". One of Verners Fantasy Landscapes

The Living Tower is still available through Vitra today, although not an inexpensive piece.  The Tower serves as Art, interactive furniture and a fantastic, eye-catching way to divide a room.

Verner with family

The Living Tower is available in red, matt blue and chocolate.  It is constructed of a Birch Plywood Frame, uses polyurethane foam, classic upholstery and the outer dimensions are 78 3/4″ square.  There are 4 levels at which you can lounge on the Living Tower.

4 Levels of the Living Tower

A fun,  funky piece of furniture sure to be a conversation piece for years to come.

Verner Panton went into production on his first Panton chair in 1967.  That was the Panton Classic, a uniquely styled chair made of a rigid expanded plastic, and using cantilever technology.  This chair is distinguishable by its shiny appearance due to the lacquered surface.  Also, it is only available in Red, Black or White.  The Panton Classic was the starting point for a long and successful line of Panton chairs, that now come in Junior (Child’s sized version), a set of Miniatures, and a more affordable version of the Classic known just as the Panton Chair which came in to production in 1990.

Red Classic Pantons being put to use

The advantages of the newer Panton Chair, other than it is about 1/5th of the price of the Classic, is that technological progress has allowed it to be made out of Polypropylene, and it is available in a wide range of colours.  You can now get it in White, Grey, Orange, Red or Chartreuse.  This chair has a matte finish, and is incredibly versatile.  I find the chair surprisingly comfortable;  I had assumed it would be cold, hard, uncomfortable and, well…plastic!  But I have to say it is now one of my favourites, and none of my qualms rang true.

White Panton Chairs

The Junior Panton is exactly the same as the newer Panton Chair, just about %25 smaller.  Perfect for children, and comes in lots more fun colours: White, Red, Orange, Light Pink, Light Blue and Lime (I wish they would produce these colours for us big kids!).

Junior Panton Chairs

A great gift option for a Verner Panton fan would be the set of Panton Classic Miniatures.  They are a 1:6 scale, and come in a  set of 5.  They are produced exactly as the originals were (materials, construction, etc.).  According to Vitra, on average it takes 5 hours of manual labour to create these little gems!

As a final note, I came across the picture below while surfing the net.  It amazed me the uses that Panton Chairs have been put to.   As you can see, these chairs have been customized, but what an interesting concept!  Enjoy!

Panton Chairs, St. Bartholomew’s Church, Chodovice.

I love the new children’s size ‘modern’, mid-century design furniture pieces that are being manufactured! The Junior Panton’s originally designed by Verner Panton in 1999 and manufactured by Vitra are kid friendly with soft edges, durable material and seven fun colours! Kartell manufactures the Lou Lou Ghost chairs which are so, so adorable in transparent colours or solids. Philippe Starck designed the Louis Ghost chair in 2002 and was an instant furniture fashion hit! Kids and parents will be excited to decorate their homes with these additions!

Junior Panton