Van der Rohe. Breuer. Eames. Each of these 20th Century designers revolutionized furniture design by defying tradition and mastering materials in ways no one before had imagined.

Add a new name to this list of innovators: Architect and furniture designer Matthew Hoey.

Imagine a low-slung, overstuffed armchair. Then erase every trace of the chair that doesn’t come in contact with the human body. This was Hoey’s mind-bending, minimalist vision for his CORIAN^® Lounge Chair.

From ball feet of CORIAN^®, a sinewy stainless steel frame curves skyward, capped by organically thermoformed shapes of ¼-inch (6mm) CORIAN^® to form the seat, back and armrests. "ln effect, I’ve melted CORIAN^® over the frame, creating the perfect marriage," Hoey explains." I designed this chair to cradle the human body in comfort. CORIAN^® is an important part of the tactile experience. It begs to be rubbed."

Hoey worked closely with DuPont as a development partner. "DuPont’s Application &Technology Center in Buffalo was willing to work closely with me to help achieve the three-dimensional forms I desired. I explained to the experts at DuPont that if we could successfully thermoform CORIAN^® to replicate the curves of a tractor seat, it would prove to me that we could build my chair. It worked wonderfully!"

Hoey is designing an entire line of furnishings in CORIAN^® based on his original design. "As a designer, it’s my job to anticipate the future. There are new challenges and new requirements to be met. I believe CORIAN^® is a material that will take us into the 21st Century and beyond."

Forms that Function
Matthew Hoey demonstrates how the contours of his CORIAN^® Lounge Chair cradle the human form. Behind him is another example of his innovative designs, the Hoey Chaise Lounge, which becomes a chair when flipped upright.

Hoey’s original sketches and model.