Poltrona Frau Reinterprets Gio Ponti’s Armchair

Furniture maker and Italian heritage brand Poltrona Frau distills an ether of slender silhouettes, sacred geometries, and expressive hardware from Gio Ponti’s original 1965 Dezza armchair. The contemporary editions stay true to the spirit of Ponti—the late Milanese multi-hyphenate architect who pioneered aesthetically pleasing and functional domestic architecture and objects—with three configurations and two seating types available in proprietary upholstery options.

The collection showcases Ponti’s penchant for a simple construction system as the beechwood armchair comprises only four pieces: two sides of varying pronouncements, a backrest of correlating postures, and a deep seat. Dezza 12 is petite with a low profile and thin armrests. Dezza 48 builds on that form with an integrated headrest in the backrest. And Dezza 24 stands taller as a more substantial armchair also available as a sofa alternative. While the seat suspension varies by chair, the cushions are accentuated with a pair of buttons and the side mounting elements are articulated with chrome-plated brass hardware. Finishes for the feet, articulated as legs from the front and rear elevations, are black or white open-pore lacquered ash.

Poltrona future-proofs the styling of this timeless artifact with its Redevance woolen satin fabric upholstery, and a flat pattern derived from the company’s collaboration with Archivio Gio Ponti and local manufacturer JSA Art Textile. The graphic illustration, originally conceived by the architect himself, is composed of repeated circular elements and complementary figures that sit in contrast to the field within which they appear to vibrate. Updated with shades of blue and gray, the broken-down and repeated geometric sequences create a number of potential configurations that can be scaled across platforms. Upholstery can be further customized with external and internal refinements for greater visual impact. Molto bene. 

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• Industrial Design

• Gio Ponti
• Joseph P. Sgambati III
• Poltrona Frau