Vitra Gehry Wiggle Stool

When Frank Gehry found a pile of scrap cardboard outside his office one day, he decided to experiment by laminating and shaping it with a hand saw and a pocket knife. The result: This sinuous stool, part of his Easy Edges line and a design included in MoMA’s collection. Reinforced by hardboard panels, the sides are evocative of a winding river. In between, “end grain” corrugated cardboard creates a remarkably sturdy and comfortable seat. Over time, its surface softens and develops an inviting organic nap. The stool makes a playfully surprising statement in a living room or home office. Made in Germany by Vitra, a manufacturer of iconic modern furnishings that’s widely represented in MoMA’s collection. The Gehry Wiggle Chair is sold separately here.

A pioneer of postmodernism, Canadian architect Frank Gehry has reached “starchitect” status through his unmistakable designs for the Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles and the Guggenheim Museum, Bilbao. But his “Deconstructivist” style and international brand was built on decades of smaller projects and hands-on experimentation, yielding innovative design products like his Easy Edges cardboard furniture. His collaboration with Vitra runs deep: He designed the company’s museum on its Weil-am-Rhein campus. Fourteen of Gehry’s drawings, models, and furnishing designs are included in MoMA’s collection, including five examples of his Easy Edges furniture.