Piero Gandini, a living part of our design history, has clear ideas on how to revive B&B Italia– of which he is chief executive officer – a once-glorious brand (well, not quite in recent times) that has faded somewhat: by reclaiming its strong and prolific roots and the truly innovative spirit of its origins, when Italian design was forging its identity through objects with a strong character and distinctive design. This reclaiming is being expressed through interesting new pieces, such as Ronan Bouroullec’s Abaco table, but also by drawing from the rich archive to revive creations that speak the language of the contemporary.
The reissue of Nena, the folding armchair designed by Richard Sapper in 1984: a design that retains its essential simplicity, confirming the enduring relevance of a design intended to stand the test of time Take Nena, for instance, conceived by a versatile genius such as Richard Sapper(do you remember the Brionvega TS 502 Cubo radio, the Grillo telephoneor the ArtemideTizio lamp?). Nena is an armchair, foldable thanks to its aluminium joints, which conceals a hook bent into the frame at the top of the backrest, removable as required: when the armchair is not in use, you can fold it up and hang it on the wall. This saves space and presents it, with gentle irony, as a work of art – abstract yet practical.
