For the Spaghetti Chair, Giandomenico Belotti wrapped PVC cord around a steel structure like spaghetti around a fork – hence the name. Originally designed to furnish the Albergo Marina in Marina di Massa, built by Belotti and Sergio Invernizzi in 1961/62, it is still in use there today. Since 1970 the chair has been produced industrially under the name Odessa by Pluri, established by Enrico Baleri. In 1979 it marked the debut of the Alias company, founded by Baleri and Carlo Forcolini. Since then the original design has been expanded into a set of chairs of different variations and heights.
In the post-war years, other furniture designs based on wire or plastic bands also tried to meet the growing need for low-cost outdoor furniture. Whereas many of these designs featured playful forms, the Spaghetti Chair stands out for its timelessness and straight lines, which are clearly rooted in the geometry of Italian Rationalism. In 2011 the Spaghetti Chair inspired Jasper Morrison to produce his Tagliatelle Chair in which he used interwoven textile bands for the seat and backrest.
Text: Alberto Bassi
