Form and function

In the battle of form versus function, this Orchestra Chair (model 661C) designed for the Royal Festival Hall in 1951, illustrates quite beautifully how a little of latter can influence and shape the former.  It was Day's careful attention to the ultimate function of this chair - to elegantly accommodate the tailcoats of the members of the orchestra - which largely determined its form.  The original chair - which also had a small rail under the seat for holding the musicians' bows - was fabricated by Kingfisher Ltd. and upholstered using Tygan, a heavy duty woven plastic designed by former Bauhaus weaver Margaret Leischner and produced by Fothergill & Harvey.