298 (Unicredit Pavilion Project)
- Description
- Designer Bio
This
sensitive interpretation of the director’s chair was created by Michele De
Lucchi for the Unicredit Pavilion in the Porta Nuova business district in
central Milan. The designer made a deliberate choice to use natural beech, a
strong and durable wood, with a high-profile stainless steel folding mechanism.
The entire construction process took place within the Cassina carpentry unit,
using state-of-the-art machinery. The company’s master craftsmen took over when
it came time to add the final details. These, and the assembly of the piece
were all executed by hand. The quality of the design can be seen in the chair’s
light-weight silhouette, conferred by the tapered frame and the arm-rests.
Meantime, the back features very comfortable-looking padding. The decision to
use natural wood treated with a low-gloss varnish enhances the warmth of the
material. The visible folding mechanism highlights how functional this chair is
in any setting including, of course, the home, where space might be at a
premium.
| About Designer | |
|---|---|
Michele De Lucchi |
Michele
De Lucchi was born in 1951 in Ferrara and graduated in architecture in
Florence.During the period of radical and experimental architecture he was a
prominent figure in movements like Cavart, Alchymia and Memphis. De Lucchi has
designed furniture for the most known Italian and European companies as
Artemide, Olivetti, Alias, Unifor, Hermès, Alessi. For Olivetti he has been
Director of Design from 1992 to 2002 and he developed experimental projects for
Compaq Computers, Philips, Siemens and Vitra.He designed work and corporate
identity spaces for Deutsche Bank, Poste Italiane, Enel, Piaggio, Olivetti,
Telecom Italia, Novartis, Intesa Sanpaolo and UniCredit; he carried out
architectural projects in Italy and abroad, including residential, industrial
and cultural buildings and corporate headquarters. He designed buildings and
display systems for museums including the Triennale di Milano, Palazzo delle
Esposizioni di Roma, Neues Museum in Berlin and the Galleried'Italia Piazza
Scala in Milan.His professional work has always gone side-by-side with a
personal exploration of architecture, design, technology and crafts. From 2004
he has been using a chain saw to sculpt small wooden houses which create the
essentiality of his architectural style. In 2003 the Centre Georges Pompidou in
Paris has acquired a considerable number of his works. Selections of his
products are exhibited in the most important design Museums in Europe, United
States and Japan.In 2000 he was appointed Officer of Italian Republic by
President Ciampi, for services to design and architecture. In 2001 he was nominated
Professor at the Design and Art Faculty, University of Venice. In 2006 he
received an Honorary Doctorate from Kingston University, for his contribution
to “living quality”. In 2008 he was nominated Professor at the Design Faculty
of the Politecnico of Milan and Member of the Accademia Nazionale di San Luca
in Rome. |