Sitting in motion: Wagner Dondola 4D

Brand story by Barbara Jahn-Rösel
Wien, Austria
01.10.19

Thanks to the equally simple and ingenious Dondola 4D joint from WAGNER, ‘sitting’ now becomes a thing we ‘do’.

Inspired by automotive engineering. Four movable aluminium arms on vulcanised bearing shells mean the seat remains flexible in all directions and supports even the smallest of micro-movements

Is it really possible to reinvent the act of sitting at a desk? Yes, it is. With the new Dondola® 4D mechanism, German office chair specialist WAGNER has given the chair a fourth dimension, and with it, a new level of dynamism and verve to the workplace.

Always on the move

It is an unfortunate but well-known fact that today, more and more people are suffering from back pain. To play a part in sustainably counteracting this phenomenon, WAGNER has developed a pioneering 4D mechanism which forms the technical basis for a new and revolutionary office chair. Prior to this, decoupling the rigid connection between the seat itself and the lower part of the chair represented a major step in the right direction to helping relieve micro-movement related back-strain, but Dondola® 4D goes even further: With it, sitting goes from being a passive to an active ‘activity’ – where something is asked of the body’s muscles, they are not left simply to relax. And now a fourth component – the flexible opening angle between backrest and seat – has been added to the three-dimensionality of its mechanics.

The fourth dimension. In addition to the revolutionary Dondola 4D mechanism, the decoupling of seat and backrest as a fourth component contributes to a more dynamic way of sitting, which greatly relieves the back

Vehicle technology on board

Designer Stephan Meyer was inspired by the automotive industry to develop Dondola®, a word derived from the Italian 'dondolare' meaning ‘cradle’ or ‘swing’, and with Dondola® 4D, the system has been perfected. Made entirely of sturdy Zamak aluminum, it functions via four movable arms under the seat shell, which in turn rest on vulcanized bearing shells. These arms can withstand particularly high loads as well as high-energy movement. In addition, the mechanism is height-adjustable, thanks to the integrated Bowden pulley system, so can be optimally adapted to the user’s wishes. Last but not least is Dondola® 4D’s unmistakable appearance, used as a core design element by designer Stefan Diez in his new D1 chair, and visually expressing once again the power of innovation that lies in this extraordinary joint.