Artek’s Domus chair was designed by Finnish interior architect and designer Ilmari Tapiovaara in 1946. The chair was designed for the Domus Academica student housing complex, located in Helsinki and drawn by architect Pauli Salomaa. The interior and furniture design of the complex was the first large-scale project for Ilmari Tapiovaara and his wife Annikki Tapiovaara.

Domus was designed to be a multifunctional chair that would meet the diverse needs of student housing. It served in the student rooms, hallways, auditoriums, and conference rooms as well as in the cafeteria. The Domus chair is a stackable, comfortable, and ergonomic piece of furniture with an elegant, timeless design. 

This Domus chair features a frame made of lacquered solid birch, while its veneered seat and backrest are upholstered in high-quality leather with leather piping along the edges. The chair is part of a 2026 collection, where the upholstery colours draw inspiration from the palettes Ilmari Tapiovaara created for his individual interior projects. In 2026, Artek updated the surface treatment of the Domus chairs, replacing the previous paints and lacquers with more environmentally friendly, water-based alternatives. At the same time, the structure beneath the seat was subtly refined while the outward appearance remains familiar and just as charming as ever.