There is one chair that connects the most diverse places on the planet. Made from a single block of plastic, it is durable, easy to clean, and, above all, cheap. It is usually white – at least in its most recognizable form – and can be found everywhere: from Italian beach lidos to Bangkok’s street food stalls, from American backyards to Madrid’s Club Dehors.

It is called Monobloc, and it is so ingrained in our collective memory that it has become a timeless cult object – even if few people know its name. In Italy, it immediately evokes images of elderly people playing cards in village bars, public beaches, and seaside resorts in the South, where it often appears in red or blue, stamped with the logo of Algida, the ice cream brand that filled local cafés in the 1980s.

In recent years, the Monobloc has faced criticism for its environmental impact due to its plastic composition. Yet its affordability and remarkable durability still make it an accessible option for all. Even if production were to stop tomorrow, these chairs would remain in circulation for decades.

Recently, Monobloc made headlines again, appearing in a double version on the cover of Puerto Rican pop star Bad Bunny’s latest album, Debí Tirar Más Fotos – a global hit that turned the world’s most democratic chair into a pop culture icon.

2017 was a milestone year for Monobloc. The Vitra Design Museum – one of the world’s most renowned design institutions – hosted the exhibition "Monobloc – A Chair for the World", tracing the history of this ubiquitous seat from its origins in the mid-20th century – driven by the demand for affordable, lightweight, and easily replicable furniture – to its status as a global design phenomenon.

The concept of a one-piece molded plastic chair dates back to the 1960s, when designers began experimenting with new materials and manufacturing techniques. Among the pioneers was Danish designer Verner Panton, who in 1960 created the Panton Chair, considered the first single-piece plastic chair. However, its initial material – polyester-reinforced fiberglass – was costly, making it a high-end product rather than a mass-market item.

Then came the Bofinger Chair (1964–1966) by German architect Helmut Bätzner, the first to be injection-molded in a single piece of plastic, and Vico Magistretti’s Selene Chair (1961–1968), made of fiberglass-reinforced plastic. Both designs anticipated the idea of stackable, easily transportable plastic chairs.

The turning point for Monobloc came in 1972, when French engineer Henry Massonnet, founder of the company Stamp, created the Fauteuil 300. By refining mold technology and reducing production time to under two minutes per chair, Massonnet made the chair accessible to the masses, paving the way for its explosive success.

From the 1980s onward, Monobloc became ubiquitous, largely thanks to the French company Grosfillex, which introduced the Resin Garden Chair – the first model sold at a price low enough to make it a true mass-market product, suitable for outdoor use. Over the years, the design was copied and adapted by countless manufacturers. Despite minor aesthetic variations, the core production process remained the same.

It begins with a single piece of polypropylene, heated to 220°C and injected into a mold that gives the chair its iconic shape: integrated armrests, a slightly curved backrest, and a perforated seat for just the right amount of ergonomics. The plastic is then molded by extrusion, producing a chair in just 70 seconds.

This ultra-fast manufacturing process makes Monobloc incredibly cheap, with a retail price of around eight euros.
 

In 2022, Hauke Wendler’s documentary Monobloc – which won a Grimme Award – explored the chair’s worldwide presence and its impact on the lives of billions. From Mumbai’s bustling markets to African schoolyards, from European terraces to tropical beaches, Monobloc is everywhere.

The film takes viewers on a five-continent journey, collecting testimonials from those who produce and use the chair. In India, Monoblocs are a staple at weddings and public celebrations; in Uganda, they have been repurposed into wheelchairs, giving mobility to millions for the first time.

The chair has also made its way into popular culture – appearing in the comedies of the Vanzina brothers, in episodes of Narcos, and in contemporary art, where it takes on new symbolic meaning. During the 2024 Venice Biennale, Russian artist Kuril Chto transformed the chair into a conceptual piece. For Chto, Monobloc represents the human connection and generosity he encounters while traveling. A simple, universally available object becomes a tool for exploring the meaning of “home” through the eyes of a stranger.

Opening image: From the exhibition ‘Monobloc – A Chair for the World’, on display at the Vitra Design Museum in 2017. Austria. Photo Jürgen Lindemann.