Emeco - Nine-0 Swivel Chair

Ettore Sottsass and Christopher Redfern's designs for the Nine-0 Collection reimagine the classic all-aluminum Navy Chair that was built for submarines in WWII and has been manufactured by Emeco since 1944. Ettore's lifelong fascination with the Navy Chair began when he first discovered the all aluminum chair in 1956. Enthralled with its pleasing simplicity, Ettore was the first designer who took the Navy Chair out of its typical environments - navy ships, prisons, hospitals- and employed them in contemporary interior design projects. Through him, Sir Terence Conran, Frank Gehry and Philippe Starck also grew enchanted with the Emeco chair which helped create a resurgence for Emeco in the 1990's. It was only natural that when Emeco chairman Gregg Buchbinder met up with Ettore Sottsass at the Chicago Museum of Contemporary Art, a powerful collaboration would be formalized. "The minute we met, Ettore told me he was an admirer of the Navy Chair and in fact wished he had designed it. And we agreed, why not re-design it?” remembers Mr. Buchbinder.


Designed by: Sottsass Associati, 2007

Design Story:

• The Nine-0 Collection is a testament to Ettore's experience, diligence, and overall knowledge not only in terms of design but also to the processes of production.
• Named Nine-0 as an homage to Ettore's age, the collection of chairs and stools would unfortunately be his last work before passing away on December 31st, 2007.
• With the help from his design associate Christopher Redfern, Ettore sought to create a contemporary version of the Navy Chair that would embody both durability and functionality and eventually lead to a long and prosperous stay on the market.
• While the Navy and Nine-0 designs both feature a sleek all aluminium frame, The Nine-0 Collection is a bit more contemporized and customizable than its predecessor.
• The Nine-0 Collection now features a seat size that is six inches wider to accommodate today’s growing population. To give each model its own distinct appeal, Sottsass and Redfern created three different seat back designs.
• Sottsass and Redfern were both cognizant of the fact that the metal seat needed a dash of vibrance and wasn't comfortable to sit on for extended periods of time. To address this, they decided to use a soft but durable polyurethane material that is available in five different colors.
• The Nine-0 Collection is a testament to Ettore's experience, diligence, and overall knowledge not only in terms of design but also to the processes of production.
• In 1976, Ettore Sottsass told the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum that "a chair must be really important as an object, because my mother always told me to offer my chair to a lady." While unfortunately Ettore passed away before the Nine-0 was finished and was only able to try out early versions of the chair, it is safe to assume that Ettore and his mother would approve of this finished variation of an iconic piece.

Features:

Quality Design:

• Swivel chair is a new variation of the original all aluminum, Emeco 1006 Navy® Chair
• Seat back is available in three different designs
• Hand-crafted using signature 77-step process (watch it here! )
• Built on the vision of sculptured masterworks: one piece construction without connections
• Eco-friendly: uses recycled materials and is itself recyclable
• Proprietary thermal treatment makes lightweight products three times stronger than steel


Warm & Natural Finish:

• Available in either a hand brushed or polished aluminum finish
• Hand brushed finish improves with age and resists rust
• Hand brushed finish goes through an electrolytic process which gives it a hard, anodized finish
• Polished aluminum is non-corrosive and does not rust
• Polished aluminium goes through three rounds of hand polishing
• Non-absorbing and sanitary: resists bacteria, mildew, stains and odor
• Soft aluminum provides smooth bends without distortion and total comfort


Comfort & Style:

• Polyurethane seat pad is available in five different colors
• The brightly colored, friendly seats took its inspiration from his own Navy Chair in Milan
• Valentine Red seat pad is a tribute to both the Valentine Typewriter he designed for Olivetti and a red Emeco chair that was one of Ettore's favorites
• Orange and gray colored seat pads were inspired by the color of the textile cushions Ettore had on his Navy Chairs
• Blue seat pad cushion was inspired by a ceramic piece given to Christopher Redfern from Ettore
• Soft, polyurethane seat that can be used indoors or outdoors
• Fire retardant gray seat pad meets California 133 fire code


Product Features:

• Can be used indoors or outdoors
• Suitable for institutional or home use
• Stays cool to the touch even in the hot sun
• Seven year warranty
• Stackable up to six chairs high
• Ships fully assembled
• Made in the USA


Dimensions:
• 29.5" - 32.5" H x 17.88" W x 23" D
• Seat Height: 17.5 - 20.5"



Order with Confidence:
• Emeco puts environmental safety at the forefront of design. Between 75% and 80% of the aluminum used in Emeco products is recycled and the estimated lifespan of most Emeco chairs is 150 years or more.
• The Navy Collection is backed by a seven year warranty. These chairs and stools are warranted to be free from defects in materials and workmanship under normal use and conditions.
• Both the hand polished and hand brushed aluminum finishes have different finish characteristics and maintenance suggestions .
• Should you discover shortly after receiving your Emeco product that parts are either damaged or missing, please call us immediately, and we will be happy to send you replacement parts as soon as possible and at no additional cost.
• No sales tax, except on orders shipped to Massachusetts.


Please Note:
• Hand polished finish ships in 8 weeks
• All other finish options ship in 4-6 weeks


The Life and Times of Ettore Sottsass by Emeco Cinema



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