The 40/4 chair by David Rowland is acclaimed as the first truly stackable chair. Its name is an expression of this: 40 chairs can be stacked within 4 feet.
The chair was introduced in 1964 after almost a decade of development. It was an instant success, and since then, over 8 million chairs have been produced and sold.
To recognize an original 40/4 chair, just look for David Rowland's signature under the seat.
"After the 40/4 was introduced, a number of companies and designers attempted to create an equally successful counterpoint, indeed, every year brings its crop of minimalist stacking chairs. [...] The copies as well as other more independent developments are indications of the fact that David Rowland created a whole new type of furniture, which is profoundly expressive of contemporary life."
By Merete Ahnfeldt-Mollerup, Architect, Phd and Associate Professor
