The Luisa Chair dates back to a 1938 design by Franco Albini. Aiming to create a chair that could meet all household needs, he repeatedly reworked the construction details and proportions of the design in subsequent years. Four versions resulted, some of which entered production (1939, 1942, 1949 by Knoll, and 1950 by Slica di Recco). The fifth and final version was mass-produced by Carlo Poggi. Albini explained the design: ‘I attempted to increase the expressiveness of the composition through the features of the materials (the flexibility of wood) and technical solutions (multiple groove joints). Technique and materials are the means of expression which we architects have at our disposal.’ The ‘architectural’ appearance of the chair is due to the use of slender squared timber rather than round wooden rods. The quality of the design is evident in the precision and sophistication of details such as variations in orientation of the front and back legs, the slightly bulging back feet, the connection between the front leg and the armrest, and the cut of the padding, which matches the dimensions of the frame.
Text: Mathias Remmele
