Estimated reading time: 3 minutes
In a groundbreaking fusion of art, autism science, and sensory design, the Squeeze Chair Project by artist Wendy Jacob and animal behaviourist Temple Grandin redefines what comfort and contact mean in modern furniture. More than a piece of furniture, the Squeeze Chair (1998) is a living artifact of empathetic design—a chair that hugs you back.
Where Science Meets Softness
Unveiled at the MIT List Visual Arts Centre in 1998, the installation included two upholstered “squeeze chairs”—objects that could physically embrace the sitter via inflatable arms powered by a foot pump.
The chairs were inspired by Grandin’s well-known “hug machine,” a self-designed device she built in the 1960s to help calm herself during moments of sensory overload. That machine, derived from cattle squeeze chutes, applied steady, even pressure—a therapeutic method Grandin later showed to be beneficial for many autistic individuals.
Jacob, known for her art that explores the physicality of human touch, collaborated with Grandin to transform this idea into an object of daily use, aesthetic presence, and therapeutic potential.
Design Details: More Than Form and Fabric
According to the object record from the Victoria and Albert Museum, the Squeeze Chair (Chaise Longue) is:
- Upholstered in red mohair—a conscious choice to contrast with the sterile, medicalized aesthetics typical of autism-related equipment.
- Operated by a foot pump that inflates internal chambers in the arms of the chair, gently hugging the sitter.
- Sized for personal use: Length: 152.4 cm · Height: 111.8 cm · Width: 86.4 cm
What’s most remarkable is how the chair uses pressure as presence—quietly asserting that furniture can do more than support posture: it can offer a surrogate for human touch.
Why It Still Matters
This project remains profoundly relevant in both design theory and disability discourse:
- It challenges the aesthetic of inclusion: why must therapeutic furniture look clinical?
- It bridges art and engineering in adaptive design.
- It affirms that people with sensory processing differences deserve objects that offer dignity and delight, not just functionality.
The Squeeze Chair also inspired later innovations in pressure-based furniture, and its impact ripples across sectors—from autism care to trauma-informed environments and even soft robotics.
The Legacy of Touch in Design
“The resulting pressure creates an opportunity for those who are overstimulated to be calmed and reconnect with the environment.”
– Wendy Jacob & Temple Grandin, 1997
As minimalist and digital design trends grow, The Squeeze Chair Project reminds us of something elemental: touch is not a luxury—it is a fundamental human need. In design, touch can be conveyed through texture, compression, and empathy.
Key Takeaways
- The Squeeze Chair Project, by Wendy Jacob and Temple Grandin, integrates art, autism science, and sensory design to create a chair that provides comfort and tactile contact.
- Unveiled in 1998, the chair features inflatable arms that hug the sitter, inspired by Grandin’s therapeutic ‘hug machine’.
- It challenges conventional therapeutic furniture aesthetics by using vibrant colours and emphasises the importance of human touch in design.
- The project remains relevant, promoting dignity for individuals with sensory processing differences and influencing the design of adaptive technologies across various sectors.
- Ultimately, the Squeeze Chair serves as a reminder that touch is a fundamental human need in design, one that transcends minimalist trends.
Related Links
Discover more from Encyclopedia of Design
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.