The Eames chair with its partner ottoman is certainly one of the most iconic furniture designs ever made.

The Eames chair designer duo

Designed by the fabulous couple Ray and Charles Eames, it has been in production since 1956.

It has been made by the fabulous furniture company Herman Miller for many years now.

What makes a good design?

How do you know if something is a good design?

What is it that makes an iconic design?

Of course, we don’t always recognise good designs, let alone treat them as iconic.  So they are two different things.  But in this case, the Eames chair is both a good design and an iconic one.

Some iconic designs, like the Harry Bertoia wire chair, look fantastic.  But you might find them uncomfortable to sit in.  This means that despite their cool appearance, they are not really a good design.

Unfortunately, this is often the case with cool looking designs.  They are just no good.

Here’s what one person had to say about the Bertoia chair…

http://benmck/superpod.designsponge.com/2013/08/neo-chair-same-problem.html

Why do designs like this succeed?  It is just looks?  Surely we are not so superficial.

Looks can deceive.

But images are just looks.  You might like the photos on the internet or in the brochures, but have you sat in one of these wire chairs?  Unless you’ve had the opportunity to sit in such a chair, you might think it is a good design, because the 2D image is pretty cool.  That’s all you’ve got to go on.

Good designs are more than just looks.

Our buildings at Superpod^®, and the furniture in our PodMarket^® range, aim to be really good designs.  Good design should be really beautiful, and it starts with real thinking and analysis.  We think you should get the design right, which means more than just looks, right?

So we prefer the Eames chair and Ottoman to the Bertoia wire chair.  Because it looks cool AND is supremely comfortable.  And it lasts.  Its design has stood the test of time.  If you are lucky enough to own one, you know how many years of use it will give you, because it’s extremely strong, despite its flex and comfort.

A good design works.  It doesn’t have to be replaced often or at all.

Isn’t that what true sustainability is about?