An armchair which is both functional and decorative, which feels artisan-made but has a contemporary look. Klara has a frame straight from experimental design with an extremely precise form, where the armrests, freed from the backrest, are structurally independent. The project is a reinterpretation of the spirit of the first forays into industrial design, based on a close collaboration between art, industry and craft. Stylishly comfortable, it is reminiscent of the first mass produced pieces of the early 20th century, also in its use of woven Vienna straw, a craft technique commonly used in the Friuli region of Italy a century ago.
Description
- Frame is beech - with Vienna woven cane back
- Seat and back covered with flame-retardant polyurethane foam on bent plywood.
Dimension
80x75x93 cm
Inspiration
The importance of blending design, craftsmanship and the decorative arts
Designer
by Patricia Urquiola, 2010
Patricia Urquiola was born in Oviedo (Spain), and she lives and works in Milan. She studied Architecture at the Technical University of Madrid and at the Polytechnic University of Milan, where she graduated in 1989 under Achille Castiglioni. She was assistant lecturer for Achille Castiglioni; she worked with Vico Magistretti; and she was also Head of Design for Lissoni Associati. In 2001 she opened her own studio, working in the fields of product design, interiors and architecture. Her most recent designs include: The “Museo del Gioiello” jewellery museum in Vicenza, the Hotel Mandarin Oriental in Barcelona, the Hotel Das Stue in Berlin, the Spa of the Hotel Four Seasons in Milan; retail and display designs for Gianvito Rossi, BMW, Cassina, Ferragamo, Flos, Missoni, Molteni, Officine Panerai, H&M, Santoni and Pitti Uomo Firenze. She has created products for numerous major companies in Italy and abroad, including: Agape, Alessi, Axor-Hansgrohe, Baccarat, Boffi, Budri, De Padova, Driade, Flos, Gan, Georg Jensen, Glas Italia, Haworth, Kartell, Kvadrat, Listone Giordano, Louis Vuitton, Moroso, Mutina, Rosenthal and Verywood. Some of her products are exhibited in the great museums of art and design, including the MoMa in New York, the Musée des Arts décoratifs in Paris, the Museum of Design in Zurich, the Vitra Design Museum in Basel, the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, the Stedelijk in Amsterdam, and the Triennale in Milan. She has won numerous international accolades, including: The Medalla de Oro al Mérito en las Bellas Artes from the Spanish government; the order of Isabella the Catholic, presented to her by His Majesty King Juan Carlos I of Spain; “Designer of the decade” for the magazines Home and Häuser; “Designer of the Year” for the magazines Wallpaper, AD Spain, Elle Decor International and Architektur und Wohnen.