The Vitra Design Museum is therefore presenting the most comprehensive exhibition of his work to date, held right in the Vitra Schaudepot building. At DesignVille, we love Panton’s work, which is why we’re bringing you an authentic invitation straight from the exhibition venue, along with tips on design pieces you can bring home.
Verner Panton: Form, Color, Space
The exhibition titled Verner Panton: Form, Color, Space will take you through all the creative periods of this unmistakable designer. Although Panton studied architecture and gained his first experience in the studio of the legendary Arne Jacobsen, he very soon moved away from traditional Scandinavian design. He chose his own, more radical path, in which color, innovative textiles, plastic, and light played a central role.
What can you expect at the exhibition?
1. Iconic pieces in one place: From the world-famous Panton Chair to the Cone Chair and the playful Flowerpot lamps.
2. Fantasy Landscape: Visitors can literally immerse themselves in a walk-through living cave from 1970 that blurs the boundaries between the floor, walls, and furniture. These sculptural, color-infused worlds were created for the Visiona II exhibition from polyurethane foam covered with vibrant synthetic textiles produced by Bayer.
At the time, Bayer needed to show the public and furniture manufacturers that synthetic materials were not just cheap substitutes, but that they offered new, unlimited possibilities for form and color in the modern home. During the prestigious furniture fair in Cologne, the company would always rent a cruise ship, whose interior it had completely redesigned by famous designers. In 1970, it was Verner Panton who designed the interior, giving rise to the legendary “Fantasy Landscape,” which you can experience with all your senses at this exhibition.
The Visiona II exhibition also featured the Amoeba chairs, which are now produced by Vitra, so you, too, can have a piece of this unique 1970s exhibition in your own home.
3. A Look Behind the Scenes: The exhibition draws from an extensive archive comprising over 40,000 documents and, for the very first time, presents Panton’s unrealized architectural works in detail.
4. Colorful Scenography: A colorful ribbon winds through theentire Schaudepot space, where the exhibition is held, drawing you into vibrant worlds in true Panton style.
5. The Birth of the Legend: The Panton Chair
The exhibition also traces in detail the creation of one of the greatest milestones in modern design. The concept for the Panton Chair was conceived as early as the mid-1950s, but it wasn’t until 1967, thanks to a collaboration with Vitra, that the chair went into mass production. As the very first chair made from a single piece of plastic and without rear legs, it became a technological masterpiece and immediately made headlines in the international media. You can read the full story of this famous chair in one of our earlier articles.
Verner Panton at DesignVille
If you were captivated by the exhibition or Panton’s work in general, rest assured that Panton’s playful view of the world is still relevant today. At DesignVille, we’re proud to collaborate with premium brands that hold official licenses to produce his works. Thanks to them, you can still purchase these timeless icons today.
Vitra: In addition to the iconic Panton Chair , Vitra also produces the bold Cone Chair and Heart Cone Chair, which Panton designed at the turn of the 1950s and 1960s. And let’s not forget the iconic Amoeba armchairs, which were also part of the Visiona II exhibition.
Verpan: This brand is dedicated exclusively to the legacy of Verner Panton. It produces his fascinating light fixtures, such as the VP Globe, Fun, and Moon, as well as the extravagant System 1-2-3 chairs and many other design icons based on his original designs.
&Tradition: The brand is responsible for reintroducing his most famous light fixtures— the Flowerpot series, the Topan collection, and the Wire Stool series—to the market.
Louis Poulsen: This Danish master of lighting, in turn, features the elegant and organically shaped Panthella lamps in its portfolio.
Exhibition: Verner Panton: Form, Color, Space
Where: Vitra Schaudepot (Vitra Campus, Weil am Rhein)
When: May 23, 2026 – May 9, 2027
Head out to get inspired right at the source, and don’t forget that you can bring a piece of Panton’s work into your own home through DesignVille.
