Design history(ies)

Bell chair - THE BEAUTIFUL

Whether in a Sicilian beach café, a German allotment garden, an African church or a street restaurant in Bangkok, there is hardly a place where the Monobloc is not in use. In Tulum on the Mexican coast, it can even be found as a converted passenger cab. It really does seem as if the omnipresent white plastic chair made from a single piece of plastic is the most popular piece of furniture in the world.

A chair that is everywhere and that everyone understands. At least to sit on for a moment. Unfortunately, it is not aesthetically pleasing and time has left its mark on it. Design guidelines have even banned the Monobloc from public spaces. It is seen as the epitome of cheap mass-produced goods and a prime example of our consumer society. Yet the sprawling plastic chair has the form for something greater. And that doesn't just mean the art of stacking. From a philosophical point of view, his idea is the original form for infinite reproduction and goes back to the desire to create a simple chair from just one piece - monobloc. What began with classics such as the "Panton Chair" or the "Bofinger Chair" found its perfect prototype in 1972 with the "Fauteuil 300" by French engineer Henry Massonnet. A lightweight, stackable chair that could be injection molded from polypropylene in less than two minutes. Available and affordable for everyone. The archetype of the democratic chair. If it weren't for its plastic, which tarnishes its white image. The BELL CHAIR puts an end to this and even adds beauty, elegance and subtle colors on top.

In long rows in spiritual white - the Monobloc at an open-air church service.

On the Mexican Caribbean coast in Tulum, cargo bikes are converted into passenger cabs during the high season.

Monoblock in a Greek street café.

Designer Konstantin Grcic is known for his passionate exploration of materials and technology. He likes to push the boundaries of his designs, opening up new possibilities. This is also the case with the BELL CHAIR, which he places in private and public spaces together with the Italian furniture manufacturer Magis. With good reason and a clear conscience. Because the newly interpreted monobloc is not only beautifully shaped, the industrial designer has also developed a new material for it together with a plastics manufacturer made of sustainable polypropylene, which is obtained from industrial waste from Magis and the regional automotive industry. So it is only the patented idea that is new, not the material used. A chair that is light in weight and high in quality. Made from just 2.7 kilograms of plastic that is 100% recyclable. And at an affordable price. In short, finally a monobloc that definitely breaks with the design guidelines and helps to encourage the industry to rethink. Because mono here is not only the shape, but also the uniqueness of the material, which is preserved. So even plastic becomes fantastic.

BELL CHAIR is available in three colors. It is stackable and has a comfortable shape thanks to its high backrest.

105,00 €

This text is an excerpt from the book "50 Jahre 50 Produkte - Designgeschichte(n) erzählt von MAGAZIN", which will be published in spring.

  • The book for MAGAZIN! 50 years of MAGAZIN encourages a special look at themes and products, stories and current affairs. Founded in Stuttgart in 1971, MAGAZIN has experienced and written history. Companions and contemporaries, product designers, customers and lovers of the brand have their say on what has happened. A collection of essays, e.g. by Sibylle Berg on "Schöner Wohnen" and Maxim Biller on "Erinnerungen von Morgen", meets contemporary topics on product design, design and furnishing. Supplemented by a special look at 50 exemplary products from the history of MAGAZIN. Including the popular and the little-seen, highlights and the inconspicuous, the favorite products of MAGAZINS and their background stories. 21x25 cm, 248 pages with many b/w and color illustrations, bound in fine linen Duchesse. Now available.

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  • We are celebrating 50 years of enthusiasm for our products and selected range. Look forward to glimpses into our digital and analog shop windows.

  • Discover the MAGAZIN world from new angles: thematically compiled and carefully curated.

  • In Stuttgart, 50 years ago, MAGAZIN was born. A store, an idea, a program formed an innovative company with stubbornness and perseverance.