Know Your Chairs: The F300 by Pierre Paulin

I have posted about French furniture and interior designer Pierre Paulin and his wonderful creations previously here. Not all of his pieces are still in production but thankfully Danish furniture company GUBI, started in 1967, just reintroduced one of Paulin's iconic designs. So for this installation of Know Your Chairs, let's look at the refreshed F300 chair!

Created by Paulin in 1965 and released by furniture manufacturer Artifort that same year, the first F300s were produced in fiberglass or injected polyurethane, allowing for contoured ergonomic comfort while maintaining a visually light expression. GUBI says they have responsibly upgraded the production of the F300 for the 21st century, which is now crafted in Italy from the engineered polymer HiREK®, made using industrial plastic waste. Retaining the durability of plastic, HiREK is lightweight and resistant to UV, weathering, and pressure. Most importantly, HiREK produces a smooth, high-gloss surface without requiring additional finishing processes, perfectly replicating the performance and aesthetic of the original materials while minimizing waste created during production.

I love how, despite the fact that the chair references a certain, sleek, man-made aesthetic, it still managese to present an alluring organic shape. And I really love how the uphosltery creeps down the legs a bit...

Like so many pieces of furniture from Europe in the mid-sixties through the seventies, many Paulin pieces showed up in sci-fi films and television shows (the Paulin Ribbon chair was a staple on "Space: 1999" and even had a cameo in "Blade Runner 2049") and the F300 is no exception! It appeared in the film "Star Trek III: The Search For Spock" and on several episodes of "Star Trek: The Next Generation."

You can now have your own Pierre Paulin F300 chair from GUBI or Design Within Reach, available in two colors for the frame and many fabric and leather color options for the upholstery.

Happy designing!