Resources
The Coconut is a typical 1950s design it stands out for its humorous touch, formal clarity and minimal use of materials.
Nelson himself compared it with a coconut cut into eight parts, and inverted the coconut chairs colours: the plastic seat shell is white, while the single-section upholstery comes in a variety of colours. This return to the natural spatial shape of a shell enabled Nelson to create an inviting, comfortable armchair that offers users the freedom to sit in countless different positions. The ottoman, which Nelson designed to complement the armchair in 1955, ensured even greater sitting comfort and increased the range of uses. Materials White shell made of fibreglass-reinforced plastic on a chromed tubular steel base frame.
GLIDES DESCRIPTION Fitted with plastic glides for carpet; felt glides for hard floors optionally available.
George Nelson
George Nelson, born 1908 in Hartford, Connecticut (USA), studied architecture at Yale University. A fellowship enabled him to study at the American Academy in Rome from 1932 to 1934. In Europe, he became acquainted with the major architectural works and leading protagonists of modernism.
In 1957, Vitra founder Willi Fehlbaum signed his first licence agreement with Herman Miller to produce furniture for the European market. During the ensuing decades of the collaboration with Vitra, a close friendship evolved between George Nelson and Rolf Fehlbaum, who later said about Nelson: 'No other prominent designer spoke as intelligently or wrote as coherently about design'. Nelson expressed his thoughts on design topics in numerous articles and eleven books;
Swiss manufacturer Vitra’s collections of furniture and lighting bring together the colour, culture and sophistication of the world’s most prominent designers.