Miniature Karuselli, Kukkapuro Vitra

Vitra Miniature Karuselli, Kukkapuro: The idea of creating a glassfibre chair based on humanbody’s shape was planned already in late 1950s. Glassfibre, the new material, was just invented and came to Finland in late 50s but was very expensive to use. Kukkapuro realized the first model in 1958–1959 and in early 1960s when glassfibre became cheaper Kukkapuro continued the development of Karuselli which finally was produced by the Finnish furniture company Haimi Oy in 1964. The chair was designed to provide a relaxing sitting position as possible. The basic shape has been obtained through the use of flexible steel mesh and conforms with the human anatomy. The swiveling seat which was of fibreglass reinforced polyester was connected to the base by an intermediate steel spring and rubber dampers. The seat shell and base were coated with semigloss plastic paint in the colours white and black. For upholstery only leather was used. Polyurethane resin, leather, metal.

The collection of the Vitra Design Museum en miniature: The Miniatures Collection of the Vitra Design Museum covers the most important pieces from the international history of design from 1850 up to the present. The construction, materials and colours of the miniatures correspond precisely to the historical original. Extensive development work was carried out to adapt the manufacturing techniques to the requirements of miniaturization. Because they are so true to the originals, the miniatures are not only collector’s objects for furniture enthusiasts, but also serve as ideal illustrative material for universities and design schools. At present, the collection encompasses 80 models on a 1:6 scale with further pieces being continually added. The models come in their own wooden box and are accompanied by a descriptive brochure with details on the design. Net proceeds from the sale of the miniatures go towards the exhibitions and workshops of Vitra Design Museum.

Miniaturization means concentration: Vitra Design Museum faithfully replicates furniture design classics in miniaturized three-dimensional form. Many of these designs, like the chaise longue by Le Corbusier or the red-blue chair by Gerrit Rietveld, are as widely known today as the most celebrated works of art and are coveted by museums and collectors the world over. These miniatures illustrate at a glance what design means and what role it plays in the industrial production process. The clear and concentrated world of the miniatures yields a fascinating reflection of the stylistic diversity of contemporary design and provides a unique way of accessing the history of furniture design.

The manufacture of the miniatures: Vitra Design Museum has one of the most renowned collections of industrial furniture design – from the infancy of industrial mass production in the mid-19th century through the designs of functionalistic Modernism up to the postmodern furniture objects of the present day. With its many exhibits, the collection provides us with an ideal base for developing new furniture miniatures. Model builders measure the historical original in the museum collection, scale this down to one sixth of the original size and compile technical documentation. Subsequently, materials and manufacturing techniques are tested over a period of several months: the shapes are formed, materials and processes are selected, art historical research on the objects is conducted and then the production sequences are defined.