Eero Aarnio, the Finnish Designer of the Ball Chair and More

Eero Aarnio’s use of bold colors, organic forms and a plethora of materials changed furniture design.

Eero Aarnio was born on July 21, 1932, in the Kallio district of Helsinki, Finland. While his childhood was marked by the struggles of World War II (Kallio was one of the most bombarded districts in Helsinki), Aarnio’s need to create was relentless.

Pencil drawings on carefully unwrapped packing paper, as well as homemade clay toys and model planes made of firewood were Aarnio’s initial works of art. This interest in, and ability to work with, different materials would eventually help define Aarnio’s legacy as one of the great innovators of modern furniture design.

Eero Aarnio Parabel tables — The “Parabel” table was designed in 1994 and was made of fiberglass.

After a stint in the offices of architect Heikki Sysimetsä, where he was encouraged to pursue interior architecture, Aarnio studied at the Institute of Industrial Arts in Helsinki. While in school, Aarnio worked for two “fathers” of modern Finnish design: Ilmari Tapiovaara and Antti Nurmesniemi.

Upon graduating, Aarnio became an in-house designer for Asko Oy. After just two years, he was ready to make his own way and officially started his design office in 1962.

Over the next 60 years, Aarnio would produce some of the most iconic furniture of the modern era. Using bold colors, organic forms and a variety of different materials—including plastic, fiberglass and foam plastic—he changed the way the world looks at furniture design.

Today, Aarnio’s creations live in some of the most prestigious museums in the world, including the Museum of Modern Art in New York, the Victoria and Albert Museum in London and, of course, the Design Museum in Helsinki.

Bubble Chairs in 1960s designed by Eero Aarnio — Designed in 1968, the “Bubble” Chair is created the same way dome-shaped skylights were made at the time—by heating acrylic and blowing it into shape.

Pastil chair designed by Eero Aarnio — The “Pastil” chair was designed in 1967 and later won Aarnio the International Design Award of the American Institute of Interior Designers in 1968. It was made for both indoor and outdoor spaces, was ergonomically designed to be used without cushions and could miraculously float on water.

Eero Aarnio in his studio — To this day, Aarnio designs products in his studio in Finland. Here, he is seen with “Kisu,” a decorative piece released in 2020. The black Kisu is made of regenerated polyethylene from defective products and waste material within a factory.

Ball Chair designed by Eero Aarnio — Originally designed in 1963, the “Ball” chair made its international debut in 1966 at the Cologne Furniture Fair, quickly launching Aarnio into the spotlight.

green Pony chair designed by Eero Aarnio — “A chair is a chair, is a chair … but a seat does not necessarily have to be a chair. It can be anything, as long as it is ergonomically correct. A seat could even be a small and soft pony on which you can ride or sit sideways.” —Eero Aarnio

To learn more about Aarnio’s contemporaries, see learn about fellow Finns and MCM designers Eero Saarinen and Alvar Aalto. And of course, don’t forget to follow us on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest for more Mid Century Modern inspiration!