Model of an Elastic Chair back
Ash, maple, hickory
Winterthur, An American Country Estate

Model of a chair back without compound curves
Ash, maple, hickory
Winterthur, An American Country Estate

Compound Curves
Gragg wanted his chairs to bend, but also needed them to be sufficiently strong to hold the sitter’s weight. To solve this complex problem, he created a design with compound curves. In an Elastic Chair, the seat and the back curve in two different directions, both front-to-back and side-to-side. While this sophisticated solution slightly lessens the elasticity of the chair, it distributes the weight of the sitter more evenly across the entire frame, making it stronger and more durable.