I've got Ergo on the mind lately. This is because of my own personal posture-related issues as well as the general "bent" (if you'll pardon the pun) of contract exhibitions like the recently-concluded IIDEX 2010. And speaking of proper alignment, the judges of that event's Innovation Awards seem cognizant of the issue as well, at least if the recent bestowal of Gold upon the Pasha Armchair is any indication. This lovely little number by Claudio Dondoli and Marco Pocci for manufacturer Pedrali is streamlined and sculptural, evoking equally bold designs like Dima Loginoff's Vasilli. But Pasha's classic meets millennial profile is not its only point of entry, for there are many. In fact, one might infer that the makers' motives are positively transparent.

Pasha Chair. Designed by Claudio Dondoli and Marco Pocci for Pedrali.

I'd ask once again that you pardon the pun, but Pasha's so fun it brings out the ham in me. The chair is constructed of injection-molded polycarbonate-a choice that not only renders it impermeable to indoor and outdoor elements, but also facilitates its intriguing nouveau-aristocratic look. Vaguely reminiscent of the lines popular way-back-when during the rein of Louis XIV, Pasha yet embodies a marked futuristic vibe, even more so given its stylistic range: glossy black, blinding white, or clear as the bells of a Tuscan cathedral. The transparency of this last incarnation can be jazzed up with the symphonic complement of bright red upholstery.

Given Pasha’s plethora of classic and contemporary charm, the reasoning behind the judges’ accolades is certainly clear: Pasha exemplifies an expert synchrony of form and function–an easy synthesis that "confers a prestigious character on different locations such as hotel lounges and informal restaurants with cool atmosphere." At IIDEX 2010, the very presence of Pasha definitlely ramped up the cool factor one hundred-fold.

Available at The Chair Factory.