Franco Albini’s best known designs were made of natural materials, especially rattan and bamboo, numerous of which belong to the permanent collections of museums, such as New York’s MoMA. The Italian architect and designer was awarded three times with the prestigious Italian design award, the Compasso d’Oro.

This stool represents a keystone of the Italian design culture from the mid-20th century through its creative and rigorous composition that expresses a particularly high degree of aestheticism. Albini combined these with raw, inexpensive materials and with new forms of modern minimalism. Albini was an Italian Neo-Rationalist architect and designer, renowned for merging modern minimalistic furniture design with traditional Italian craftsmanship. This ottoman epitomizes his style and eye for detail with an elaborate construction. As bamboo is hard to bend and is exceptionally durable, it is used as the base while the rattan is woven around it expertly in a decorative, geometric pattern. With its rounded edges and an airy feel, this model has a gentle appearance that is as much a sculpture as it is a functional piece. The effortlessly flowing, curved lines of the frame are visually striking, and paired with the organic materials, exude understated elegance. The low, open design is very grounded, but the thin strips and legs keep it light. While the arrangement of the weaving is geometric, it is not perfectly symmetrical as a result of being handwoven. This gives it a lot of character, while also meaning that each piece is individual and unique.  

The quality handwoven rattan makes this stool an outstanding example of woven furniture from mid-century Italy. In this model, Franco Albini's extraordinary architectural ideas emerge in their purity and poetry of form, mixing form with astounding materials. Furthermore, rattan is one of the most timeless and versatile materials for interior design. Its natural look, texture, and warm hues are ideal for creating a relaxed and airy feel.

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SOLD

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Condition:

In good vintage condition. Wear consistent with age and use. Some small white paint marks on the rattan and bamboo.

Dimensions:

24.01 in Ø x 14.17 in H

61 cm Ø x 36 cm H

About the attributed designer:

Born near Milan in 1905, Franco Albini was an Italian architect, urban planner, and furniture designer active between the 1930s and the 1960s. He studied architecture at Milan’s famous Politecnico, apprenticed under master architect-designer Gio Ponti, and played a key role in formulating the Rationalist movement in Italy prior to World War II.

He was a major figure in the Rationalist Movement, excelling in architectural, furniture, industrial, and museum design. After receiving a degree in architecture from the Politecnico di Milano in 1929, he worked with the Ponti and Lancia design studios. His work for the magazine Casabella also played a key part in his development, marking his conversion to the Rationalist Movement and his becoming its spokesman on the Italian cultural scene. During the 1940s, Albini expanded his collaboration with Cassina, which started with chair designs that paved the way for his signature style. He also pursued his furniture designs with other firms, such as Poggi.

Franco Albini was the recipient of many honours in recognition of the importance of his cultural contributions. He also received numerous prizes, including the La Rinascente-Compasso d’Oro, the Bronze Medal from the Parson School in New York (1956) for his contribution to industrial design, the Olivetti Award for Architecture (1957), and the Royal Designer for Industry title awarded by the London Royal Society of Arts (1971). In all his work, from home furnishings to industrial and museum design projects, Franco Albini always instilled a logical consistency, an extreme purity of expression and exceptional ethical and historical integrity.