80s Borek Sipek ‘Ota Otanek’ chair

Bořek Šípek (Prague, June 14, 1949 – there, February 13, 2016) was a prominent Czech architect and designer. He was known for his individual, unusual, colorful and rich style. He experimented with unexpected and usually opulent shapes. His glass sculptures are particularly well known.

After studying at the Prague Academy of Art, he emigrated to Germany in 1968, the year of the Prague Spring. There he studied architecture in Hamburg and philosophy in Stuttgart. In 1979 he obtained his doctorate from the Technical University of Delft. In 1983 he settled in Amsterdam. He founded his own architecture and design studio there. After the Velvet Revolution in his native Czechoslovakia, he started a studio in 1989 in his hometown Prague.

After relocating to the Czech Republic, he was professor of architecture and design at the Academy of Art, Architecture and Design in Prague from 1990 to 1998. From 2005 to 2012 he was professor and dean at the Faculty of Art and Architecture of the Technical University of Liberec.

Bořek Šípek is said to be the father of the “neo-baroque”. His architectural works and other designs are known worldwide. He had offices in Amsterdam, Prague and Shanghai.

Under the presidency of Václav Havel, he was the architect of Prague Castle. In Maastricht he designed a glass sculpture at the entrance of the Maastricht University Library on Grote Looiersstraat.

Bořek Šípek passed away at 66 years.

Borek Sipek designed the Oto Otanek for Vitra in 1988. This chair has been constructed with different materials, wood,copper and steel. The sitting has been carved in wood, black painted. The front and back leg is of wood, black painted. The side legs are of steel covered with a stain paint. The back is of real copper, hammered in a round form. Beautiful design with round, organic and quadric forms. Vitra produced this chair in a limited production, real collector item.