En
Designed in 1958 by Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni for the
Milan Chamber of Commerce, Babela is an excellent example of how
practicality and aesthetics can work together in the same chair, a comfort-
able, stackable easy chair with a rigorous design perfect for the institu-
tional setting for which it was conceived. This reissue brings Babela into
contemporary spaces, transforming the original iron frame into a warmer,
more natural ash wood one.
De
Babela, 1958 von Achille und Pier Giacomo Castiglioni für die
Handelskammer Mailand entworfen, beweist sehr schön, dass Funktion
und Ästhetik in einem Sitzmöbel gemeinsam bestehen können:
der bequeme Sessel ist stapelbar, das rigorose Design passt genau in die
förmliche Umgebung, für die es entworfen wurde. Für die Neuauflage,
die Babela in zeitgemäße Räume führt, wurde die eiserne Struktur durch
eine warme, natürliche Basis aus Eschenholz ersetzt.
Fr
Conçue en 1958 par Achille et Pier Giacomo Castiglioni pour la
Chambre de commerce de Milan, Babela est un excellent exemple de
comment la fonctionnalité et l’esthétique peuvent coexister dans le même
siège, un petit fauteuil confortable et empilable au dessin rigoureux,
adapté au contexte institutionnel pour lequel il a été conçu. La réédition
porte Babela dans des espaces contemporains, en transformant la
structure en fer de l’original en une base en bois de frêne, plus chaud
et naturel.
Achille + Pier Giacomo Castiglioni
The Castiglioni studio was established in 1938 by
brothers Livio and Pier Giacomo, while for certain
projects, Luigi Caccia Dominioni also worked alongside
them. In 1944 Achille joined the studio: the partnership
between the three brothers continued until 1952, when
Livio set up on his own, while continuing to work with
Pier Giacomo and Achille for some special projects.
Achille and Pier Giacomo worked together without any
clear division of roles, but with equal participation, and
constant discussion and exchange of ideas. This
collaboration continued until Pier Giacomo died in 1968.
Achille continued to work in the same way as he always
had done with his brother, and indeed it is almost
impossible to detect any difference in his approach to
projects, other than the natural social and technological
changes that came about with the evolving times.
Chair ↪ p.490
Technical information
There are designs which are born classics
in name only. Babela is one of those
designs and one of those names. In 1958
Achille Castiglioni designed this small
armchair to add to the furniture of the
Milan chamber of commerce. Comfort
meets form and function which is revealed
in the possibility of stacking this seat up
like a tower. Its design was simple and
archetypical, with a particular mixture of
materials, visual texture and tactile
effects.
Babela
342
Babela (Chair),
W 56 D 59 H 80 H seat 49 cm
