Mr Bugatti chair

Designed in 2006 by François Azambourg and developed with Cappellini, Mr Bugatti chair transforms the archetype of the chair into an experimental object in which technique directly generates form. Its silhouette remains elementary — four legs, a seat and a rectangular backrest — yet its irregular surface reveals a highly unusual manufacturing process.
The structure is made from an extremely thin sheet of steel, approximately 0.4 mm thick, cut, folded and welded to create a hollow shell. This shell is then filled with a two-component polyurethane foam. Under the pressure of the expanding foam, the metal sheet deforms, stretches and crumples. Azambourg chose to retain these accidental effects, which stiffen the structure while giving each piece an almost sculptural presence. A glossy blue lacquer unifies the whole and heightens the play of light across the dents and folds of the metal.
The name of the model and its colour refer to the world of Bugatti and to automobile coachwork, another field in which a thin metal skin gains strength through shaping. This analogy reinforces the logic of the project: achieving greater rigidity with less material.