How High The Moon, 1986
Vitra, Switzerland

Designer
Shiro Kuramata

Material
Nickel-plated steel mesh

Dimensions
W 95 cm, H 83.2 cm, D 72.4 cm

The innovative use of expanded steel mesh is one of Kuramata's most influential contributions to contemporary design.

Created by making a regular pattern of slits in a flat sheet of steel that is then pulled apart to form diamond-shaped openings, expanded steel mesh is usually hidden inside the walls it helps to support.

In this club chair, composed of simple interlocking volumes that call to mind the basic geometries of a child's building blocks, Kuramata magically transforms a homely industrial material into a seemingly weightless apparition. By adding nickel plating, he creates smooth, reflective surfaces that catch the light and further dematerialize the work.