Artek's Armchair 42, also known as Small Paimio, shares the same, flowing form language with Alvar Aalto’s legendary Paimio chair. Its seat and backrest are made of a single piece of birch plywood, and also the armrests have been crafted from just one piece – this ensures a stable and changeless structure as the chair ages. Armchair 42 was created as part of the Paimio Sanatorium’s overall project led by Aalto. Instead of using traditional metal tubes, Aalto wanted to use something warmer and more human. With this in mind, Aalto designed the Paimio chair, which was manufactured of bent plywood and laminated wood. Armchair 42, Small Paimio, was released in 1932.