Girolle
Designed by:
Laporte JP
Co-Designed by:
-
Designer:
Jean-Pierre Laporte
Co-Designer:
-
Date of Design:
1967-69
Date of Manufacture:
1969
Decade:
1960s
Region:
Europe
Significance:
Single piece gel coated fibreglass
Manufacturer:
Thonet
Material:
Polyester
Process:
Pressure moulded
Monobloc:
No
Cantilever:
No
Renewable Carbon:
No
Weight:
Note:
Country of origin: France (designer), Germany (manufacturer). Image: Demisch Danant. ‘Almost erotic,’ is how Jean-Pierre Laporte (1944- ) describes his curvilinear Girolle. As with many designs from this time the Girolle started life as a model; the designer finding it difficult to convey the complexity of the curves through drawings. Laporte made the models himself, using the same materials as the production model (fibreglass reinforced polyester) to explore the possibilities of malleable plastics. The process took more than a year and a half during which three prototypes were developed to perfect the design. A monograph on Laporte was published in 2010, prompting a resurgence of interest in Laporte’s work and a limited re-edition of the Girolle was released by the Edouard Edwards Gallery (which has since closed).