Work: Puppy

Description

“Eero Aarnio not only subverted all the canons of design in the 60s and 70s, but he has continued to do so in more recent times. In 2003, at the height of his career, he launched the production of his new creation: the Puppy chair.” — Christine Gaspard

Puppy is an abstract dog designed by Eero Aarnio for both indoor and outdoor spaces, created to delight both the very young and the young at heart. Manufactured by Magis since 2005, it is available in various sizes and colors, yet it always retains its core identity: a playful household animal that perfectly captures a pup’s classic proportions. Our collection features a vibrant orange version standing roughly 30 cm tall.

The design entirely eschews imitation and realism. The head, body, and legs are stripped of all minor details, as is the straight, proudly upraised tail. It is made from a single, seamless plastic that gives the object a unified, weightless quality, while its textured, matte surface adds a layer of tactile pleasure. The silhouette is a study in pure convexity, composed of smooth cylinders and hemispheres that merge effortlessly into one another—an open-ended concept left for our imagination to complete.

The true power of this object lies in its ambiguity. While it immediately brings to mind an adorable, fluffy poodle, it could easily transform into something else; look closely, and it just as easily resembles a twisted balloon animal.

“The second interesting thing about Puppy and its friends is the plastic production method. It is known as rotomolding—or rotational molding—and it is very similar to the process used to hollow-mold chocolate Easter eggs.” — Chiara Alessi