Design icon: the Pacha Lounge Chair by Pierre Paulin

Pierre Paulin was one of the most important French designers of the 20th century. The designer is famous and appreciated above all for the numerous chairs and armchairs he designed over the course of his long career. His seats were characterized in particular by the round shapes that embrace the body, thus guaranteeing the maximum comfort, and by the perfect proportions.

In fact, Pierre Paulin spent years studying the ergonomics and comfort of his chairs. One of his most famous seats today and which perfectly sums up these characteristics is the Pacha Lounge Chair. Designed in the mid-70s, in 2018 the brand Gubi relaunched it on the market achieving great success (you must have seen it on magazines and Instagram!).

The Pacha armchair has rounded and curved shapes precisely to ensure maximum comfort (I have tried it and I can confirm that it is very comfortable). It seems that Pierre Paulin, to design this armchair, was inspired by clouds to try to give the sensation of sitting on a cloud.

The shape of the seat is sturdy, also due to the absence of legs, but the metal base and the seams of the foam and upholstery give it an elegant yet welcoming appearance. The armchair also manages to be comfortable despite being without armrests and having small dimensions.

The project was not appreciated at the time, perhaps because it was considered too innovative, both for the shapes and for the materials used, and it did not have the same success as other chairs designed by Paulin.

“My father has always tried to modernize what already existed, to improve it. Unfortunately, the French market was not ready for the Pacha collection in 1975. Thanks to Gubi, we will now give this collection the fate that Pierre Paulin would have wanted for it ”, explains Benjamin Paulin, son of Pierre Paulin and co-founder of Paulin, Paulin , Paulin (the family business born to put into production the projects not realized by Pierre Paulin).