Raised in Zurich, Switzerland, Hans Coray began experimenting in the 1930s with the use of metal and wire in the design of furnishings, industrial products, and sculpture. He was closely associated with the artists of the Dada and the concrete art movement, a circle which included Max Bill, Verena Loewensberg, and Hans Fischli.

In the summer of 1938, Bauhaus-trained Hans Fischli encouraged Hans Coray to develop models for the official chair of the 1930 Swiss National Design Exhibition - designs which should be "new in every way."  Within a short time period, Coray developed a design for an all aluminum chair that could be stacked vertically. His intent was to create a lightweight and graceful chair that combined and inviting appearance with outstanding comfort. As the first of Coray's designs to enter production, the Landi chair became a milestone in design history.