Intended for a French villa in the Ville d’Avray, the LC4 Le Corbusier Chaise Longue is the result of the collaboration between renowned Belgian designer Le Corbusier (October 6, 1887– August 27, 1965), the architect Charlotte Perriand and Le Courbusier’s cousin, Pierre Jeanneret. It manifests not only the authors’ obvious modernist sensibilities but a philosophy that Le Corbusier had first espoused in his 1925 design manifesto, L’art decorative d’aujourd’hui. It was here that Le Corbusier first developed his ideas concerning the purposes for which his prospective furniture designs were intended and where he formulated his ideas of three essential furniture types for which he is still remembered today .
Type-needs, Type-furniture, and Human-Limb Objects
The three types of furniture found in his philosophical tract describe: type-needs, type-furniture, and human-limb objects. He explained these terms in rather opaque language, but it’s clear from his description of the latter type of furniture – human-limb object – that he expected his furniture to have a good measure of everyday utility: “The human-limb object is a docile servant. A good servant is discreet and self-effacing in order to leave his master free. Certainly, works of art are tools, beautiful tools. And long live the good taste manifested by choice, subtlety, proportion, and harmony".
Three Chairs: Conversation, Relaxation and Sleep
Prior to Le Corbusier and Jeanneret’s teaming-up, the Belgian designer employed standard pieces of ready-made furniture to furnish his many projects. Not happy with these off-the-shelf items – often manufactured by Thonet - he brought in his cousin to help him realise the beliefs of his design philosophy. The partnership wasn’t slow to bear fruits, and by 1928 a triumvirate of chairs was unveiled that perfectly exemplified the Le Corbusier design ethos.
The LC4/B306 "Relaxing Machine"
This LC4/B306 Chaise Lounge made-up the third chair of a design threesome that shared a number of features, most obviously the tubular steel chair bases that were plated with a chrome finish. However, whereas his first two designs – the B301 sling back chair and the LC2 Grand Confort – were intended to inspire ‘conversation’ and ‘relaxation’ respectively, the LC4 (aka B306) was meant to evoke the design and comfort of an ‘18th century day bed’ and was accordingly given the moniker the ‘Relaxing Machine’ by its designer.
The Chaise Lounge Today
The design we see today remains largely faithful to Le Corbusier’s original LC4/B306 blueprint of 1928. However, in 1959 Swiss designer Heidi Weber collaborated with Le Corbusier on a re-edition of his Chaise Longue, a move that wrought a number of changes. Most significantly, the original elliptical tube base was replaced by a more readily available oval tube arrangement.
However, the chair's essentials remain the same. Its adjustable frame allows the sitter to assume the full gambit of reposeful positions, from upright to full recumbency. The chair's seat pad or cushion is usually upholstered in black leather, but pony skin and number of other materials are available.
Originals, Fakes, Cost and Size
Original Le Corbusier Chaise Lounges (LC4) are sold under license from the Le Corbusier Foundation by the Italian-based company Cassina. These retail at just over $5,000 (including P&P).
However, as with Arne Jacobsen, Eames and Mies van der Rohe classics, there are a number of faux or inspired-by Le Corbusiers on the market. Prices for these pieces can vary considerably, with the price invariably reflecting the material and craftsmanship of the chair. A typical faux Le Corbusier Chaise Lounge, however, typically retails at $1,200.
An authentic Cassina Le Corbusier Chaise Lounge measures: 22.2" W x 63" L.
