The "REX" Chair is a Slovenian wood chair in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York City,[1] designed in 1952 by Slovene architect and designer Niko Kralj (1920–2013).[2] In 2012 it was given a permanent place in the Designmuseum, Denmark, the largest museum of design in Scandinavia. The chair is renowned for its contemporary elegance and the sensation of lightness it imparts.[3] The REX Chair is the most internationally recognized Slovenian design item and was ranked as the second most significant Slovenian product of the 20th century by the "Finance" newspaper in 1999. In 2004 at its 50th anniversary there was an exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art in Ljubljana devoted to the REX chair.[4]
During the time Kralj was manager of Stol development services. He ranked among such international industrial design legends as Charles and Ray Eames or Alvar Aalto and has conquered the world with his innovative design. Kralj received the Prešeren Prize, as well. The REX chair was elevated to the level of a cult item. It was the first chair in Slovenia made with the technology of molded, perforated plywood designed for mass production.
The back of this chair is perforated to allow for ventilation and reduce weight. Bent plywood armrests support the elbows and the joint to the back panel strengthens the chair structure. Basic designs of the REX Chair include:[4]
The exclusive holder of the manufacturing and distribution rights to the REX chair is Impakta Les. The REX Collection in production today consists of the Rex Folding Chair, Rex Folding Lounge Chair, Rex Folding Rocking Chair, Rex Folding Daybed and Rex Folding Table.As of 2023, they have produced over 2 million REX chairs.
The chair is made entirely of wood. It consists of a solid beechwood frame for securely securing pieces of bowed plywood with a rectangular shape. The armrests, made of solid wood with the front sections cut in a round shape, are joined statically to the two diagonal legs.
The ends of the curved sidepieces are set in the crosspieces at the edges of the seat and the back panels; in this way, the use of visible wood screws is avoided at the front of the chair. The crosspiece on the seat contributes to the chair's greater comfort.
The seat and the back panels are created by the cross pieces designed in a mold. In this way, the problematic sharp bend between the seat and the back is avoided and the length of individual rods is shortened. The seat and back are curved to the shape of the body. The rear legs extend into the armrest. The formation of this element requires high-quality wood and a good deal of waste involved. This is a prefabricated chair held together with bolts and nuts.
The seat and back are the same as in the third model. The armrest and the front and rear legs are all in one piece. This element is made of veneers designed in a mold and requires solid wood reinforcements. "The use of wood is reduced to the minimum; the armchair is prefabricated and stable even without bindings on the legs." The shortened armrests, however, are problematic since they do not provide the best support, especially for the elbow.
The seat and the back are the same as in the third model. The front and rear legs touch at the top and they spread apart diagonally downward. To support this A-shape, the plywood armrest, which is curved at a right angle (through high-frequency dielectric heating), is affixed to the upper section. The chair structure is strengthened further by the armrest being joined to the back panel.
The slats that were set shallowly into the side element were not able to withstand abrupt burdens and were replaced by perforated, three-dimensionally bent plywood, shaped to the contours of the body. The panels are inserted between two sidepieces. The edge pieces on the front of the seat panel and the top of the back panel are replaced by glued strips.In 1954, Model No. 56 was accepted for mass production under the name Rex 120.[4]