functionalist tubular steel armchair by Ladislav Zak for SAB – 1930s

This functionalist tubular steel cantilever chair was designed by Ladislav Žák in the 1930s.

Its unusual construction is formed by two continuously bent tubular steel loops. In one fluid movement, they create the front legs, support the seat and extend backwards to provide the chair’s flexible suspension. The light-painted plywood seat and backrest form a quiet contrast to the chrome-plated tubular steel.

The chair remains in its original, unrestored condition. The seat and backrest show distinct signs of age and use, while the steel frame also carries traces of its nearly one hundred years of history. This untouched condition preserves the particular documentary character of the piece.

From the late 1920s onwards, Žák worked extensively with tubular steel furniture and the design of modern, rationally organised interiors. The chair’s distinctive lines combine functionalist clarity with an almost drawn quality of movement.