SURFACES REPORTER (SR) Supersalone Specials: Italian furniture brand B&B Italia presented a special edition in cork of the famous Up5_6 armchair with pouf at the much-awaited special Salone di Mobile.Milano event, supersalone 2021.
Recreating sustainable beauty
Ever since its inception in 1969, the Up series designed by architect, artist and designer Gaetano Pesce has become one of the most sensational symbols of contemporary design. Of the seven examples of seats with voluptuous shapes, including the Up5_6 armchair, the first product of industrial design called to convey a political message to denounce the condition of women in the world, the iconic Up5_6 chair has been recreated with cork – a durable, raw material which can be recycled over and over again. Of the many debuts, the chair was seen at D Studio Milano, the recently-opened showroom on Via Durini featuring portfolio brands B&B Italia, Maxalto, Azucena, Arclinea, Flos and Louis Poulsen.
Used bottle corks are recovered and recycled to initiate the moulding process. Majorly collected by schools in the Italian territory, these corks are grounded and reduced into granules. Further, they are mixed exclusively with natural binders.
The history of classic Up5_6 chair
The armchair from the series is one of the most outstanding expressions of design with its expressive shapes and fine upholstered elastic fabric. An amalgamation of art and design, the chair anthropomorphically resonate a large womb, thereby recreating references of ancient statues of the goddesses of fertility. The spherical ottoman is tied to the armchair, in contrast to the image of comfort and convenience with a metaphorically inclined woman with a ball and chain tied to her foot. According to Pesce, “At that time, I was seeking to tell a personal story about my concept of women: I believe that women have always unwittingly been their own jailer. This is why I decided to give this armchair the shape of a woman with a ball and chain, reflecting the traditional image of a prisoner.”