Pierre Guariche

PIERRE GUARICHE (Paris, 1926-Bandol, France, 1995) for Meurop, Belgium.
Armchair "Crocus Ball", 1960's.
Steel frame and white fabric upholstery.
Reupholstered.
Measurements: 71 x 71 cm.; 40 cm. seat.

Crocus Ball chair designed by Pierre Gauriche for Meurop in the sixties. This model is distinguished by its circular body, forming an enveloping hemicycle that integrates the backrest and armrests. It rests on a steel foot. It is an ergonomic design, as Gauriche studied human proportions in depth to create comfortable and functional pieces. The aesthetic is in keeping with Space Age furniture.

Pierre Guariche was a French designer, interior decorator and architect best known for the residential lamps he designed for Pierre Disderot in the 1950s, but he was also an innovative furniture designer and architect. He studied at the École nationale supérieure des arts décoratifs. He later joined the studio of another of his teachers, Marcel Gascoin. He began to exhibit his works at the Salon des Arts Ménagers and the Salon des Artistes Décorateurs, avant-garde places where the most prominent designers of the time showed their works. René-Jean Caillette, Joseph-André Motte, Jean Prouvé, Charlotte Perriand, Antoine Philippon and Jacqueline Lecoq were some of the designers who exhibited their experimental works in the salons of the time. After World War II, interest in the use of new methods and materials for the mass production of furniture increased. In 1951, Guariche began collaborating with Steiner, another important furniture manufacturer. He designed the innovative "Tonneau" chair, with a plastic and aluminum version in 1953 and a curved plywood version in 1954. At the same time, Guariche made numerous models for lighting manufacturer Pierre Disderot, seeking a modern, simple and economical alternative to the opulence of traditional French designs.