The object
Stefan Diez designed Thonet’s 404 chair series, translating the manufacturer’s bentwood heritage into a contemporary wooden seat with engineered visual and technical details. Thonet credits Diez directly and calls the still-evolving chair an icon ten years after its launch, while continuing to sell the range.
01
What Stefan did
designed Thonet’s 404 wooden-chair series by reworking bentwood traditions through contemporary construction
02
Why it matters
Thonet describes the 404 as an icon and retains it as a successful, updated chair series a decade after introduction.
03
Living-status check
The German Design Council published a first-person interview with Diez on 25 March 2025 about his current circular-design work.