D4 Armchair

Marcel Breuer, Tecta

The D4 armchair is one of the most refined expressions of Marcel Breuer's research into tubular steel furniture. Its structure consists of a succession of metal lines that cross, articulate and fold, drawing a light architecture in space on which the seat, backrest and leather armrests seem to float. The flexibility of the leather softens the geometric rigor of the frame. Arranged in wide bands and practically devoid of superfluous elements, the material adapts to the body and acquires a warm patina with use. The reddish tone of the leather contrasts with the coldness of the steel, balancing the industrial precision of the structure with a feeling of informal comfort. Breuer conceived the model in 1926-1927 and presented it as a suitable seat for ships, sports facilities, terraces and gardens, uses linked to a modern way of life, mobile and free from the conventions of bourgeois furniture. The aterializes the desire to reduce the traditional armchair to its essential components. It offers an almost immaterial structure, defined by the resistance of the metal tube and the tension of the suspended surfaces. The result is a functional piece and, at the same time, of remarkable sculptural force. Edition by Tecta, Germany, 1960-69. Tubular steel and leather. Folding structure