Butterfly Chair

A modern butterfly chair exploring the relationship between soft and hard materials.

The butterfly chair can be assembled in 20 seconds and maintains it's integrity without the use of hardware.

Its frame is constructed from two layers of Baltic Birch plywood, reinforced by 1/8" white acrylic at the joints. Two layers of 10oz canvas with hand stitched leather pockets make up the sling.

Skills: Model Making & Prototyping, Furniture Design, Patternmaking, Sewing/Soft Goods

Construction

I was pleased to discover that my final prototype was capable of holding more than 220 pounds. I’m currently in the process of designing a stronger sling made of only one material and that requires less stitching.

Details

The simple construction and minimal design meant the details would be exceptionally important to the chair’s overall impact. Leather pockets were hand stitched onto the 10oz raw canvas and I particularly enjoy the finish of the Baltic Birch plywood.

Prototyping & Construction

First prototypes are always interesting to look back on. The photo below shows a jig I built out of scrap wood that I could adjust and, ultimately pull initial dimensions off of. After a second prototype my dimensions were finally refined enough to the point where I could begin building the final form. Two layers of 3/4” Baltic Birch plywood were needed to maintain the structural integrity of the form while seated.