The Plywood Group by Charles & Ray Eames: A testament to Vitra’s commitment to design and quality
Vitra and the art of furniture design
Vitra is not just a furniture manufacturer, but a symbol of tradition and innovation. With an impressive portfolio of home and office furniture, Vitra has established itself as a leading brand in the design world. A visit to the Vitra Haus or the Vitra Campus in Weil am Rhein is an experience that every architecture lover should experience at least once.
The Plywood Group: a classic reinterpreted
The Plywood Group, created by the legendary designers Charles and Ray Eames, is a perfect example of Vitra’s commitment to design classics. Originally designed in the 1940s, this collection shows how contemporary design and craftsmanship can come together. Each piece from this collection, be it the Eames Lounge Chair with Ottoman or the Eames Fibreglass Chairs, is a testament to the longevity of the products and Vitra’s commitment to sustainability.
Vitra: More than just furniture
Vitra not only offers furniture, but also accessories with design aspirations. From the world-famous Eames Plastic Chairs to the ergonomic office chairs, every Vitra product is a statement in its own right. The Vitra Home Collection and the Office Collection are testimony to the brand’s commitment to quality and design.
Bruno Wickart AG: Your partner for exclusive design
As the owner of Bruno Wickart AG, I am proud to offer our customers the best products from Vitra. Our partnership with Vitra is based on shared values and a passion for design excellence.
Conclusion Choosing Vitra is a decision in favour of quality, design and sustainability. At Bruno Wickart AG, we not only offer you products, but also advice based on your individual needs. I cordially invite you to visit our Bruno Wickart showroom in Zug and experience for yourself why Vitra and Bruno Wickart AG are the perfect choice for your home. It would be a pleasure to advise you personally and show you our exclusive selection of Vitra products.
Vitra: Manufacturer of the Plywood Group Charles & Ray Eames
Charles and Ray Eames spent many years experimenting with new methods of moulding three-dimensional plywood to fit the shape of the human body in the best possible way. With the Plywood Group chairs, they succeeded in doing this in a form that still has a contemporary feel today and has allowed the designs to mature into classics. They also combined chair tops with different bases for the Plywood Group. Thanks to their pleasantly moulded plywood shells and the slightly flexible backrest, the compact armchairs offer good seating comfort – even in the versions without seat cushions.
The crisp chair
A Vitra anecdote
The actual designation “DCM” of the first chair by Charles and Ray Eames to be produced in series is an abbreviation of the very sober name “Dining Chair Metal”. Shortly after its market launch, the chair was nicknamed the “Potato Chip Chair”. But what does the chair made of three-dimensionally bent plywood have in common with a potato?
It is hard to deny that there is a certain similarity between the thin, oval, slightly curved seat and backrest of the DCM chair made of laminated wood and a crispy crisp. More importantly, the nickname expresses the admiration that was felt for the chair, which was even hailed as “a hopeful message from another planet “*. Indeed, the influence of Charles and Ray Eames ‘ plywood chairs was enormous. Not only were they completely different from anything that had gone before, they were suddenly everywhere: Mass-produced and sold in enormous numbers to schools, universities, offices and public institutions, the Potato Chip Chair permeated more than just US culture.
Images of the chair appeared everywhere – on magazine covers, in adverts, on record covers and even in comics. The chair became one of the most famous chairs ever and was as much loved around the world as, well, crisps.
Further information on Charles and Ray Eames and their furniture can be found in the two publications “Eames Furniture Sourcebook” and “Essential Eames”. The two new publications are available in German and English from bookshops or directly from the Vitra Design Museum publishing house.
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Bruno Wickart AG, Zug – Vitra’s preferred specialist retail partner in the Zug, Lucerne and Zurich area
Bruno Wickart AG and Vitra maintain a close and cooperative partnership. The Bruno Wickart range includes several Vitra novelties and bestsellers by designers such as Eames, Panton, Girard, Prouvé, Morrison, Bouroullec, Nelson and Citterio, to name but a few.
Vitra est une entreprise suisse
Vitra is a Swiss company that has set itself the goal of improving the quality of the home, offices and public spaces through quality design.
Vitra is specialised in the conception of innovative products and concepts in collaboration with renowned designers. They are developed in Switzerland and utilised throughout the world by architects, companies and individuals to create inspiring living and working spaces and public spaces.
Les classiques de Vitra contribute to the history of innovative design in the 20th century. Today, the company is also seeking to align its expertise in techniques and conception with the creativity of contemporary designers in order to constantly expand the limits of design.
Vitra, a family business for the past four decades, maintains permanent relations with its clients, collaborators and designers. The company is renowned for the longevity of its products, its sustainable growth, its quality and the excellence of its design.
Vitra, it is also the Vitra Campus, designed by top international architects, the Vitra Design Museum and its design and architecture exhibitions, the design archives and the important furniture collection. The company is committed to creating an atmosphere conducive to innovation, which is a source of inspiration for visitors and stimulation for the design process.
Living
The Vitra Home Collection is made up of furniture, lighting and accessories for the home. Among them are classic favourites such as the Eames Lounge Chair and the Panton Chair, as well as a large number of creations by contemporary designers. The collection is conceived as a collage, based on the principle that a living room is not constructed by a single tenant, but acquires its character through a mixture of old and modern, of high and low technology, of classic and contemporary elements.
Office
For more than quinquante years, Vitra has been developing functional and innovative office furniture with a convincing aesthetic. The importance of the office has not diminished over the years, with intelligently designed workspaces playing a decisive role in the success and identity of a company. Together with its clients, Vitra creates concepts on measure, capable of associating in the space the challenges of everyday life – such as acceleration, technological progress and social change – with the culture specific to the company concerned.
Public
Since it began manufacturing the creations of George Nelson and Charles and Ray Eames in the nineteenth century, the company has also been involved in the design of public spaces. The construction of airports and car parks, cultural institutions and educational structures, cafés, restaurants and hotels allows Vitra to showcase the positive impact of design.

