Cassina LC4 Chaise Longue

What it is

4 Chaise longue à réglage continu — better known as the LC4 — is the continuously adjustable chaise designed in 1928 by Le Corbusier, Pierre Jeanneret, and Charlotte Perriand, shown at the 1929 Paris Salon d’Automne, and produced by Cassina under exclusive worldwide license from the Fondation Le Corbusier since 1965 (iMaestri / Masters Collection). Official Cassina name restored the French title; trade and US retail still say LC4. Le Corbusier called the type a “relaxing machine”: a tubular-steel cradle that glides on a black-painted base so the body moves from upright to full recline with legs elevated.

Current production (Cassina “durable” line): tubular-steel frame in polished chrome or matte black; black-painted steel base; mattress and headrest with recycled-polyester padding; upholstery in Extra / Natural / Scozia leather, hair-on cowhide, or canvas. Headrest typically black leather on leather and cowhide versions. Each piece is signed and numbered. Made in Italy.

US dimensions (Design Within Reach, observed 2026-09): 33 H × 22 W × 63 D in, seat height 17½ in, ~69 lb, ships fully assembled. US list anchors at DWR: roughly $6,490 (e.g. Scozia Graphite / black frame) to $7,710 (haired-hide / chrome configs); site often runs retail promos — treat street as soft and confirm the live configurator or Cassina dealer quote. AD (June 2024) cites Cassina retail “from $5,955” in broader coverage — band depends on finish and channel.

This is a reclining daybed / chaise, not an upright conversation lounge. Different job from Barcelona, Eames, or Camaleonda.

Who it’s for

Homeowners and designers who want the modernist chaise that actually adjusts with the body — floating cradle, industrial chrome or black steel, pony-skin or leather mattress — as a reading / rest object, not a second lounge chair for guests. Strong when the interior already speaks Cassina / Corbusier / Perriand, or when a living room, library, or suite needs one long horizontal silhouette that reads as architecture. Scale needs ~63 in of clear depth and a floor plan that can host a single-user piece as a feature.

Skip it if you need upright conversation seating (Barcelona / Eames), modular landscape (Camaleonda), under-$3k pricing, or refuse cowhide / chrome glare. Also skip unlicensed copies: Cassina holds the exclusive license; buy signed, numbered production or pass.

Standout details

• Specs that matter (US retail): 33 × 22 × 63 in · seat 17½ in · ~69 lb · chrome or black cradle · black base · leather / cowhide / canvas · signed + numbered · fully assembled · Made in Italy
• Craft signal: Cassina Masters exclusive; continuous adjust via cradle on rubber-sleeved crosspieces; durable-line recycled-polyester mattress guts with Velcro disassembly detail on current Cassina sheets
• Options that change the read: hair-on cowhide (each hide unique) vs Scozia leather for a quieter solid; matte-black cradle kills mirror chrome; canvas with leather headrest/footer for a lighter material read
• Tradeoffs: ~$6.5k–$7.7k list is taste money; 63 in depth eats floor; single-user only; cowhide needs honest care and patina acceptance; knockoffs are everywhere — authentication stamp matters

Who’s specifying

Design-literate residential work that already buys Cassina Masters. Architectural Digest (Hannah Martin, June 2024) documents the piece in published interiors including Reinaldo Leandro and Patrick McGrath’s Manhattan home, Charlie Jeffries’s London home, and an AD100 placement by Hugo Toro (grass-green upholstery in a Parisian pied-à-terre) — Toro: “It’s a piece of history… and it continues to challenge us to reinvent our living spaces.” Dwell (Alex Ronan; updated May 2024) recounts Perriand’s authorship story and the “relaxing machine” line. DWR and Cassina both state MoMA permanent-collection status and signed/numbered Masters production under exclusive Fondation Le Corbusier license.

No claim that every cited room used today’s Durable padding or a specific cowhide grade — confirm frame finish, upholstery, and authentication on the residential quote.

Honest verdict

Furniture on Luxury House List already covers club lounge (Eames), architectural upright lounge (Barcelona), modular sofa (Camaleonda), dining (Saarinen + Wishbone), and storage (USM) — LC4 fills the empty daybed / continuously adjustable chaise slot with the piece that defined the type. House Score 5 (Rare): design and craft are lane-defining, durability is excellent, and no other listing on the directory does this reclining job. Usability stays a 4 (single-user, deep footprint); value is the honest drag at ~$6.5k–$7.7k list. Draft until Press hosts official photography and greenlights. Spec Scozia Graphite / chrome for the classic industrial read; haired hide / chrome when the room wants the iconic pony-skin photograph; full black cradle + leather when chrome would shout. Pair opposite Eames or Barcelona — same modernist conversation, different body position.