Physix

Alberto Meda, 2012
¶®Design is an interplay of rigid and flexible elements. The shape begins to emerge during the construction process.¶Ї Alberto Meda
The construction of Physix is based on the idea of creating a continuous seat shell by stretching fabric across two side beams. The chair is therefore the latest in a long line of iconic chairs and, with its design, takes this particular typology to yet another level. Using cutting-edge materials and production technology, Alberto Meda combines three elements to create an entirely new dynamic sitting experience. These are a flexible frame construction, an elastic weave cover and a stabilising mechanism. Physixѓ__ sophisticated frame construction efficiently uses the scope for flexibility and stability provided by modern plastics. The organic side beams made of polyamide are bendable, much like a flexible hinge, following the movement of the body when the user leans back.
One piece of contoured knit fabric is stretched between the side beams to create a continuous, cantilever seat and back padding. To create Physix, Alberto Meda and Vitra developed a multi-thread, highly resilient contoured knit that is so elastic, it allows the seat shell to take on a three-dimensional shape. Physixѓ__ frame and stretch cover follow the userѓ__s movements in all directions, even diagonally, for instance when the user leans back or looks over his/her shoulder. The knit fabricѓ__s transparency gives the chair a certain lightness and allows for finely nuanced colour combinations. The plastic frame and knit cover alone would enable dynamic sitting, but would reduce the degree to which movement can be controlled. Indeed, it is thanks to the synchronised mechanism integrated into the chair that Physix can offer a precisely controllable, biomechanical range of movement. Two striking aluminium brackets on the back of the chair transfer the movement of the side beams to the spiral springs housed beneath the seat. In this way, the chair provides a precisely controllable, weight-dependant range of motion.
Vitra at Orgatec 2012
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