Bascule Highback & Ottoman_FS_web_sub_hero

Bascule Highback & Ottoman

Studio Œ, 2026

Combined with the ottoman as a footrest, the Bascule Highback lounge chair with an adjustable neck cushion delivers ultimate comfort.

Bascule combines the relaxed aesthetic of a loosely fitted fabric cover with an innovative seat mechanism allowing a wide range of motion – from an upright angle to a nearly horizontal position. Drawing on tailoring techniques from the world of fashion – originally developed to ensure ease of dressing and freedom of movement – Studio Œ designed a cover that wraps around the structure like a jacket.

The cover is removable, and all elements of Bascule can be repaired or exchanged if needed. Bascule is available with two different bases, and comes in a highback version or as a lowback model. A matching ottoman and bench serve as comfortable footrests.

Relax in Motion

Designed with a cleverly engineered tilt mechanism concealed beneath the padding and cover, Bascule moves with the body and has such a wide range of motion that users can reach a fully reclined position – for unparallelled comfort.
The cover gives the chair character with delicate folds that add texture and lightness. While the fabric may appear casually draped, it is precisely tailored to move in sync with Bascule’s generous reclining angle. Easily removable and replaceable, the cover allows for personalisation and ensures long-lasting adaptability.
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Information

V-Foam Material

This product contains V-Foam

Developed jointly by Vitra and BASF, V-Foam is the world's first economically recyclable polyurethane foam.

Product family

Bascule

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Bascule visual_product group_web_4-3

The Bascule Lounge Chair pairs the relaxed aesthetic of a loosely fitted fabric cover with an innovative Vitra seat mechanism that offers automatic weight adjustment. Bascule is the French word for „seesaw“ and alludes to this mechanism: concealed within the chair, it responds seamlessly to shifts in weight and supports every movement with little resistance. The chair follows the body from an upright angle all the way to a deeply reclined, almost horizontal position. For this extraordinary range of motion, Studio Œ – Anne-Sophie Oberkrome and Lisa Ertel – designed a generously cut cover that drapes over the structure like a jacket. Tailoring techniques from the world of fashion - originally developed for ease of dressing and freedom of movement - have been translated into the chair‘s design. Fabric covers are available in a wide variety of colours, as well as in duo-tone versions combining two different hues for the inner and outer chair faces. The upholstering methods avoid adhesives. All elements of Bascule can be repaired or exchanged if needed, and the cover is easily removable for cleaning or replacement. Bascule is available with a four-star aluminium swivel base or a wooden base, and comes in a highback version with an integrated height-adjustable neck cushion or as a lowback model – all variants are equipped with the same mechanism. The Ottoman and Bench can be used as matching footrests, allowing users to put their feet up and enjoy Bascule‘s exceptional comfort to the full. Thanks to this range of variants and configuration options, the chair is extremely versatile and suited to multiple contexts – from living rooms to business lounges.

This product was designed by

Studio Œ

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Vitra_Bascule_Studio_OE_web-23_web_4-3

Designers Lisa Ertel and Anne-Sophie Oberkrome met while studying product design at the Karlsruhe University of Arts and Design and founded Studio Œ in Berlin in 2021. Their practice operates at the intersection of functional objects, spatial interventions and exploratory gestures. They have been working with Vitra since 2025.