THE MAKING OF F300
Few chairs in design history embody innovation quite like Pierre Paulin’s F300. Originally unveiled in the late 1960s, this sculptural, futuristic lounge chair broke every convention of its time, redefining what a seat could be. Now, more than half a century later, GUBI has revived this masterpiece for a new generation, a meticulous restoration that honours Paulin’s creative audacity while embracing today’s materials and technology.
Below, we explore The Making of the F300: how GUBI brought this visionary design back to life with a modern approach that’s as sustainable as it is sophisticated.
A Material Evolution: From Fiberglass to HiREK®
When Paulin first created the F300, its bold curves were made possible by fiberglass, a material that was groundbreaking at the time but less suited to today’s environmental standards. Seeking a more sustainable alternative, GUBI embarked on an extensive research process to identify a material that could preserve the original form while meeting contemporary expectations for durability, comfort, and longevity.
The result is HiREK®, a high-performance engineered polymer made from industrial plastic waste using multilayer, low-pressure thermoplastic injection technology. This advanced material offers a high-gloss finish, exceptional strength, and UV- and weather-resistant properties, enabling both indoor and outdoor use. Unlike painted fiberglass, HiREK’s solid-color composition ensures that scratches remain discreet, preserving the chair’s sleek, futuristic silhouette for years to come.
Five Steps to the F300
1. Molding - Shaping the structure
Every F300 chair begins as a batch of HiREK pellets injected into a multi-station molding machine. Each station produces a specific component - the seat, front leg, or back leg. The mold design carefully controls thickness, reinforcing stress points while maintaining the chair’s lightweight, sculptural form. The result is a fluid, hammock-like structure that perfectly captures Paulin’s original intent.
2. Refining - Perfecting the form
Once removed from the mold, each component undergoes detailed refinement by hand. Skilled craftspeople trim off excess material, smooth the edges using specialized ceramic tools, and leave each piece to rest for 24 hours, allowing the thermoplastic to stabilize and retain its shape. This stage is critical in preparing the components for flawless alignment and achieving the exacting tolerances required for assembly.
3. Assembly - Engineering balance and beauty
A series of custom-built jigs enable the precise alignment of each leg with the seat shell, assuring structural integrity and visual harmony. Bespoke metal inserts and polyethylene gliders are added to ensure stability. Drawing on techniques from automotive design, the chair’s surface is refined so that light reflects evenly across its curves, creating the uninterrupted, high-gloss fluidity that Paulin envisioned.
4. Upholstery - Enhancing comfort
To achieve a seamless fit, the F300’s upholstery is applied using a thermoforming technique commonly used for luxury car interiors. Foam is precision-cut and affixed to a moulded thermoplastic insert, then wrapped in fabric and stapled in place. Once secured inside the chair shell, the upholstery is pressed, dried under clamps, and hand-steamed to a perfect finish, ensuring visual continuity and ergonomic comfort.
5. Finessing - The Final Touch
Each F300 Chair is subjected to meticulous quality control, ensuring that each piece meets strict performance and aesthetic standards. Tolerances are checked, alignments are refined, and surfaces are examined under varied lighting conditions to guarantee visual continuity. Final adjustments are performed manually using specialist tools. Only when a chair meets GUBI’s standards and matches Paulin’s original vision is it approved for delivery to its new home.
A legacy assured: an F300 fit for the future
Blending the creative audacity of the 1960s with the technological ingenuity of today, GUBI’s revival of the F300 brings Paulin’s design into the 21st century, preserving its sculptural silhouette and ergonomic brilliance with modern materials and refined production techniques.
Available in contemporary colorways, the F300 is as bold and relevant today as it was over half a century ago. More than a statement piece, it is a celebration of enduring design – reengineered for modern living, and built to inspire generations to come.
About GUBI
Founded in 1967, GUBI is the global design house where timeless modern icons and the creative talents of today meet and mingle – a century of design brilliance in one daring, definitive, and ever-evolving collection.
Positioned at the point where the beauty of history meets the thrill of right now, GUBI is the creative force and curator behind the world’s most extraordinary design from the 20th century onwards. Whether diving into archives or driving the designs of today, GUBI is responsible for a timeless, inventive, and intercontinental collection of furniture, lighting and interior objects that merge function with meaning, enhancing every space.
As well as rediscovering and reintroducing lost treasures of design history for the present generation, GUBI collaborates with a hand-picked global roster of visionary design studios to create icons for tomorrow. Inspired by the past, always looking to the future, GUBI makes and shares stories that resonate with design lovers around the world, inspiring moments and memories to treasure.
Now available at Cult Design, the iconic F300 Lounge Chair by Pierre Paulin returns, reimagined in sustainable materials, yet as striking and sculptural as ever.
