Page 107 - Demo

105The Sebel Integra, perhaps the most frequently used chair in Australia, has had one of the%u00a0 most%u00a0 fascinating lives of any Australiandesigned product.UK-based toy maker Harry Sebel moved to Australia in the early 1950s and soon diversified into furniture. His early chairs were metal, but%u00a0he%u00a0soon saw the potential for plastic chairs. In%u00a0the early 1970s, he challenged local designers to create a one-piece plastic chair. Early prototypes included the One Shot, a sublimely organic o%u00a0ering from Grant and Mary Featherston. However, Sebel ultimately chose Charles Furey%u2019s Integra.It was the first one-piece moulded polypropylene chair in the world, and its stackability, good looks and rugged sophistication made it an instant hit.The Integra found an assortment of happy users in school halls, hospitals and restaurants. The version with arms became a classic outdoor cafe chair, often featuring the Coca-Cola logo on the back. You%u2019d find them in beer gardens, in%u00a0 motels by the pool, and more. One minor design flaw was that water tended to pool in the concave seat if left outside, but a quick Aussie fix was soon found %u2013 drilling a few holes solved the problem.In 1977, Charles Furey%u2019s design won the Australian Design Award, and overseas markets beckoned. Interestingly, the Integra found a natural home in the US prison system, where it was appreciated for its robustness and its inability to be used as a lethal weapon. The prison market in the US was so significant that an American company purchased Sebel and moved the production presses stateside, but eventually returned them to Australia when they couldn%u2019t make it work.The Integra has sold millions of units, and the original version is still in production. However, the new fire-retardant plastic doesn%u2019t have%u00a0 the same lustre as the original, and the mould for the%u00a0 armchair model has been damaged. The current owner of Sebel has no plans to create another so, sadly, this version is permanently out of production.Almost every sporting ground or arena you see on TV uses these chairs for o%u00a0icials, security guards or resting players. Almost every prison featured on TV or in movies showcases this Aussie classic in the background.This humble chair is an unheralded design hero. Its widespread popularity and everyday use have somehow rendered it invisible to us %u2013 it%u2019s a victim of its own success.YEAR 1973DESIGNER Charles Furey MANUFACTURER SebelOne minor design flaw was that water tended to pool in the concave seat if left outside, but a quick Aussie fix was soon found %u2013 drilling a few holes solved the problem.