On the 50th anniversary of the launch of Line 1 of the Milan Metro, where the decoration, equipment and system of signs and inscriptions were designed by architects and designers Franco Albini and Franca Helg and graphic designer Bob Noorda, the Cassina factory a new variation of the famous TRE PEZZI armchair by Franco Albini from the I MAESTRI collection. The new version of the chair is called METROPOLITANA: it is now available in a new color - the same color as on the railings of Line 1 stations in 1964, when it first opened.
Albini's style, dubbed "poetic rationalism", has brought the maestro many awards, including the prestigious Compasso d'Oro design award. Albini received it three times, including for the Luisa chair in 1955 and for the design of the stations of Line 1 of the Milan metro in 1964. These metro stations occupy a special place in the world history of underground urban public transport: the Albini project was taken as a model by "metro builders" in Europe, Asia and the United States.
This project combined architecture, furniture and graphic design into a coherent whole, creating an attractive, recognizable and intuitive image of the metro, comfortable and pleasant for passengers. Red was chosen for the first metro line, which was reflected in the inscriptions, architectural details (railings), pieces of furniture.
Immediately after graduating from the Milan Polytechnic Institute in 1929, Albini set off on a trip to Europe, during which he met Le Corbusier and Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, whose functionalist approach he enthusiastically embraced. From that moment on, steel pipes in Albini's furniture for some time replaced noble wood: after all, the architect Albini during these years was primarily engaged in the creation of furniture. From these years and throughout his entire career, he was keenly interested in new technologies and applied them in his works, sometimes he is even called the predecessor of the high-tech style. In addition, his work is characterized by a thorough elaboration of details.
The theme of structure - both an interior item and a building - manifested itself in the works of Franco Albini as a desire to demonstrate it, to draw the viewer's attention to the supporting structure. So, in the Tre Pezzi armchair, the legs and back are very highlighted. In addition, its curved red armrests echo with Albini's signature lines.
It is worth noting especially about the design of furniture by Italian architects in the 1950s. Like many modernists, in the post-war period, Franco Albini was mainly concerned with architecture, not design. The practice of creating unique furniture by architects in addition to their individual architectural projects was a thing of the past, but such samples of the 1930s had the potential for industrial production. Therefore, most of the furniture projects launched by Cassina companies are the result of many years of optimization of ideas and solutions, brought to perfection in the 1950s.
Like any other item from the I MAESTRI collection, the TRE PEZZI METROPOLITANA chair has a registration card, the I MAESTRI logo, the Albini foundation logo, the author's facsimile and a serial number that certifies its authenticity.
Since 2005, Cassina has been part of the Poltrona Frau Group - the world leader in the production of high-end furniture. Poltrona Frau Group in Russia is represented by ARCHI STUDIO.
