If readers were to take a cursory glance at the subjects of today’s two posts, they might think the theme was “unpronounceable names.” I’m pleading happy coincidence here, since I chose neither Gursan Ergil nor Jouko Jarvisalo for their sonorous and alliterative monikers alone (though that always helps), but rather because of an innovative take on a classic concept. It’s also always nice to feature work by designers from under-represented countries, whether Turkey (Ergil) or Jarvisalo’s Finnish firm, Mobel.

LEC Auditorium Chairs. Designed by Jouko Jarvisalo for Mobel.

As Chief Designer and Artistic Director of the contract furniture manufacturer, Jarvisalo presides over the company’s prevailing philosophy, “a collection that embodies the views of the designer without compromises… Mobel furniture represents clean-cut and refined design heritage.” I’d expect nothing less from a compatriot of the masterful Alvar Aalto, and Jarvisalo is true to his word with Mobel’s latest offering, the LEC Auditorium Chair module.

We don’t seem to get a lot of stadium seats for review here at 3rings–Quinze and Milan’s Room 26 and Genya’s Sedia Systems are notable exceptions–but if more auditoriums had the sleek profile and smart structure of LEC, perhaps that wouldn’t be the case. Jarvisalo’s take features a plywood seat and backrest (either layered in laminate or upholstered) and a supportive frame of epoxy-coated steel. Beyond the broad appeal of the stark modern look, the pragmatic advantage of steel is its structural strength, requiring but two legs for a four-seat module. The feature not only creates additional legroom, but also opens up floor space for technical installations and makes the whole ensemble easier to clean. Should we ever live to a see a world in which concert halls and movie theaters are outfitted in Mobel’s excellent LEC, this last bit will forge better behavior among attendees prone to scattering popcorn and spilling sticky soda. For without the privacy screens of cushy seats and bulky under-structures, the audience will spot such litterbugs from a mile off. If such is the case, we’ll have to add a final boon for LEC: it will promote better public hygiene!

Via Chairblog.