On January 11, 1963, Finnish designer Eero Aarnio created the Ball Chair, one of the 20th century’s most recognizable furniture designs

Today marks the 62nd anniversary of this revolutionary seating that transformed interior design through its radical spherical form and pioneering use of fiberglass.

The Ball Chair originated from a personal need in 1962 when Aarnio sought a chair for his Helsinki home that could accommodate his entire family – two parents and two children.

His initial sketch was actually square-shaped, but Aarnio quickly realized the cubic form was too bulky and visually unappealing for the space.

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Eero Aarnio, sitting in Ball Chair No. 1, which he made himself. The designer added the Ericsson telephone later on, a detail that became part of this original chair classic.

“I decided to remove all the corners from the chair,
which resulted in a round ball.”
– Eero Aarnio

The design process was remarkably hands-on. Aarnio determined the final dimensions directly on his wall, while his wife Pirkko traced the trajectory of his head on the drawing to ensure the opening was perfectly sized – eliminating bumped heads and wasted space. The result was a rotating sphere mounted on a central leg, creating what Aarnio envisioned as “a room within a room.”

Working in a workshop in Salo, Finland, Aarnio collaborated with his brother-in-law to build the first prototype using fiberglass, a futuristic material at the time that gave the chair its distinctive hard, glossy shell. The interior was upholstered with soft cushions, creating an acoustic and visual cocoon that offered both privacy and presence.

When the Ball Chair debuted at the Cologne Furniture Fair in 1966, the response was immediate and overwhelming. Within one week, the design had been sold to 30 countries. International press proclaimed it “the world’s most exciting chair,” and it soon appeared in films, music videos, and magazine covers worldwide.

The Ball Chair represented a decisive break from traditional furniture design, embracing Space Age aesthetics and new manufacturing possibilities. Its sculptural form and innovative material use made it a symbol of 1960s modernism, demonstrating how Finnish design could achieve global impact through bold innovation.

Today, Aarnio Originals continues to manufacture the Ball Chair, maintaining Eero Aarnio’s original specifications. The design remains in museum collections and private homes internationally, its futuristic appeal undiminished after six decades. Ball Chair No. 1, handmade by Aarnio himself and featuring an Ericsson telephone added later by the designer, stands as testament to a design vision that was decades ahead of its time.

The Ball Chair’s 62nd anniversary serves as a reminder that innovation transcends economic uncertainty. As Aarnio Originals notes, when the world feels uncertain, creating products that are unique, technically advanced, and emotionally resonant draws global attention – from Shanghai to Milan, building innovative brands into international success stories.

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Images and content courtesy of Eero Aarnio Originals & www.instagram.com/aarniooriginals.
Find out more about their work at www.aarniooriginals.com