Basculant Armchair, Model No. B301 c. 1928 - 1930

Editor: Here we have Le Corbusier's Basculant Armchair, Model No. B301, residing at the Harvard Art Museums. It looks so stark, like a diagram of a chair rather than something cozy. What's your read on this piece? Curator: It's more than just a chair; it’s an attitude! Corbusier wasn't just designing furniture; he was shaping a new way of living, rejecting the plush and ornate for functional elegance. It's a statement about stripping things down to their essence, isn't it? Editor: I suppose it is. I'm just so used to seeing comfy chairs! This one feels…intellectual. Curator: Precisely! It makes you think about form and purpose. It invites a dialogue, doesn't it, about what we really need in our lives versus what we merely desire. Editor: I get it now. So it's about challenging our assumptions? Curator: Exactly! It's a reminder that beauty can be found in simplicity and that design can be a powerful form of expression. Editor: I’ll definitely look at chairs differently from now on! Curator: Me too. I wonder if I can get away with replacing my sofa with these!