Icon of the 60’s: the Ball Chair
When one thinks of the 60s, the first things that usually come into mind are the civil rights movement, the hippie counterculture, and of course, Elvis. But when it comes to furniture, nothing would probably evoke for the Sixties than that of the Ball Chair.

The Ball Chair, which is also known as the Globe Chair, is a chair created and designed in 1966 by world-famous Finnish designer Eero Aarnio. Like it’s name says, the Ball Chair is shaped like a ball with a wide base at the bottom and a hollowed-out interior filled with cushions. This odd spherical shape, coupled with the bright colors it is usually painted with, made the chair unconventional as compared to its contemporaries during that period.

In an interview with designer Eero Aarnio, the Ball Chair was first conceptualized in 1962 when Aarnio was just starting out as a freelance designer. During that time his house had no decent big chair to speak of, so Aarnio decided to build one himself. After a couple of hours brainstorming and making sketches, Aarnio decided on the ball shape and fabricated the first prototype with an inside mould. The molding process for the chair was similar to that used in aircraft fuselages and wings, and the mould was covered with layers of wet paper and laminated with a coat of protective fiberglass. The legs and upholstery were added, and a bright red telephone was installed. Once it was completed, Aarnio immediately gave it its now-famous (and quite fitting) name.

A few days after it was completed, the Ball Chair was seen by a pair of managers from appliance company Asko. The two managers, who were visiting Aarnio to see his pinewood designs, were initially impressed and convinced of the chair’s design. Shortly after, the Ball Chair was first exhibited at an international furniture fair in Cologne Germany. The chair design became an instant hit in the fair, and propelled Aarnio’s career in the furniture industry.

Today the Ball Chair is an epitome of the 1960s, whose name is as synonymous to the decade as apple pie is to America. However, the chair’s timeless space-age design is starting to be revived, as reproductions of the Ball Chair becoming a hot commodity especially amongst youngsters who want to experience the retro feel. Hollywood has also given attention to the chair, as it has been seen in various movie sets as well as in the houses of celebrities.