Zanotta 2023

At this year's Salone del Mobile in Milan, Zanotta's distinctive yellow palette pays tribute to the Italian master designer Achille Castiglioni, while also bringing a number of admirable new products: the warm and soft Bumper sofa, the geometrically interesting Bol dining table, the simple and energetic Daisy chair, the Galeotta "Transformer" sofa that pays tribute to its historical heritage, the Nena lounge chair with its richness and lightness, the Quaderna mirror and cabinet, the Tweed table with its new finish, and the 50th anniversary colorful version of the Sciangai. Join us for a look around!

1. Bumper

This sofa is the work of renowned designer Calvi Brambilla, and its inspiration comes from the bumper of a car.The back is secured to the seat with pin hooks borrowed from the automotive industry, which also inspired the name of the product. The comfortable three-layer structure is the style featured in this product.

The seat, back and base are upholstered in graduated polyurethane，which is ergonomic and ultra soft so that the user does not even need a cushion. The purely curved design, completely free of sharp angles, gives it an elegant and gentle temperament.

This sofa is available in flexible combinations of single and multi-module. The single-module option can be better used in smaller spaces, while the multi-module can meet corner and linear layouts and adapt to different space requirements for a variety of residential and commercial projects.

2. Bol

The designer of this table is the popular design studio Studio Zaven. The modern style allows it to match any chair, with cylindrical and curved legs inspired by the intersection of two circles in Boolean geometry, and the weight of such legs give the table great stability.

Marco Zavagno and Enrica Cavarzan, the two founders of Studio Zaven, say "In our design language, we love to use elementary geometric shapes and volumes, which interact and come together to create complex shapes. The Bol table is just an example of this process, generating a product with a precise and impressive shape.”

Available in talcum powder, caramel and seaweed green, with a matte finish, the table top is perfect for a variety of contemporary style home environments, while the solid polyurethane base has matt or glossy lacquered finish to choose from. The glossy lacquered finish especially creates contrast and allows light to play fully on the surface, creating shadows and reflections. Thus, depending on the point of observation and interaction with the light, the table has a different look from different angles, presenting a great sense of design aesthetics.

3. Daisy

The designer of this chair is Mist-O, a design studio that combines Japanese and Italian backgrounds. The smooth curved design, light weight, and durable materials allow it to be used in various scenes such as living rooms, work areas, and dining rooms. It has excellent comfort and can be sat for a long time without strain.

The chair is stackable for easy storage, with an upholstered seat and backrest covered in fabric or leather and a fully removable cover. From the legs to the backrest, there is a continuous linear design. Behind the seemingly minimalist shape is meticulous thinking and a thousand trials and errors, which has been the design principle of the design studio Mist-O: a thousand refinements for one perfect presentation.

4. Galeotta

Originally designed in 1968 by Jonathan De Pas, Donato D'Urbino and Paolo Lomazzi, the Galeotta "Transformer" sofa was an innovative and disruptive piece of design that contributed to profound changes in lifestyle, deconstructing and revolutionizing the the concept of the traditional armchair, introducing a different way of using and living with sitting furniture. The sofa is now reborn in new materials and dimensions, in collaboration with Paolo Lomazzi, as a tribute to the design heritage.

This sofa is made entirely of polyurethane of different densities, without any support structure or internal frame. It can be opened and extended, and the strong hinges allow each module to touch the floor when set down, better supporting the weight of the human body, so it is very comfortable in both sitting and semi-reclining positions. Galeotta embodies the principle of simple and practical design to meet different scenarios and spatial needs, and is suitable for a variety of domestic and commercial spaces.

5. Nena

This year Lanzavecchia + Wai's Nena collection of seating furniture has been expanded with the joining of the Nena Lounge Chair. The contrast between the light frame and the plump upholstery of this chair, paired with the artistic language of sinuous curves, perfectly reflects the aesthetic of the Nena collection.

The slender, solid steel frame in black or graphite supports the two layers of cushion, and the semi-circular backrest embraces the person and also serves as an armrest, providing comfortable support when standing. The gap between the backrest and cushion creates an effect of lightness, while the tapered, slightly angled legs add more vitality to the overall look.

The design of Nena collection always balances form and practicality, maximizing ergonomics and providing a comfortable and cozy experience. At the same time, some detailed considerations, such as the hidden seat cover zipper, also represents Zanotta's uncompromising sense of refinement. The new family member Nena Lounge now enriches the versatility of the Nena collection and makes it perfect for use in all kinds of private and public spaces.

6. Quaderna

Designed by Superstudio between 1969 and 1972, the Quaderna collection has been enlisted and mass-produced by Zanotta since 1972 and is recognized as a statement of radical design. This year Zanotta added three more members to this Quaderna family: the Quaderna mirror and two Quaderna storage units.

The Quaderna mirror is inspired by the "measuring mirror" sculpture module, which was used by Superstudio's architects to study the effect of a continuous infinite super surface. The two Quaderna cabinets can be used as a TV cabinet and a dining sideboard respectively, adapting to different living scenarios.

The Quaderna collection is the maximum expression of meticulous craftsmanship. The square laminates are specially made by Print from Superstudio's designs and are isotropically meshed at 3 cm grid spacing. The laminates are machined one by one in a precise sequence so that all lines on each side are optically matched, and the square surface is the only one that is continuous and oriented in the three dimensions as per the original design. The extreme precision of the process, combined with the inlay technique, makes a single piece of a product take a lot of hours to make, which gives the Quaderna collection its subtle complexity.

7. Tweed

The Tweed table designed by Garcia Cumini is characterized by its organic and irregular shapes, as well as by its finely finishes. This year Zanotta introduces a new finish in the natural material of Striato Olimpico marble, with gray stripes against white for an elegant tone. Tweed retains the original concept: a design that uses the natural patterns of the material - initially wood, now marble - to divide the table top in two diagonally creating a striking visual aesthetic that resembles the natural veins of a leaf.

Tweed is a family of modern, elegantly styled tables, each finish of the Tweed table has its own personality to suit a variety of formal or casual occasions, with visually striking tabletop textures complementing the contours of the tabletop and the properties of the material being maximized. Just like the fluid texture and shape of Tweed, Zanotta also wanted this design to maximize the human interaction and communication that unfolds around the table.

8. Sciangai 50

Sciangai, the iconic Zanotta hanger designed by De Pas, D'Urbino and Lomazzi in 1973, which won the Compasso d'Oro Award in 1979, is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. Together with Paolo Lomazzi, Zanotta highlights this milestone with a special edition of Sciangai 50 in bright and cheerful colors.

Sciangai 50 is a faithful replica of the original sketch found in De Pas, D’Urbino and Lomazzi’s studio by Fabio Calvi and Paolo Brambilla, Zanotta’s new Art Directors, a brightly coloured pencil drawing where each rod has a different shade. An empathic and communicative object that customises its surroundings with a touch of playful authentic anti-conformism as its eight colourful branches open out.

As designer Paolo Lomazzi says "the object needs to form a friendly relationship with the user, but also be easy to use." Sciangai is very user-friendly, with eight solid beech wood sticks joined together slightly above the center, creating an adjustable perimeter when they are opened to fit the available space around them.

Sciangai is inspired by the Mikado game that many of us remember from the 80s. On this 50th anniversary, Sciangai has added a colorful version, which is both a return and an innovation that perfectly blends Zanotta's quirky artistry with practicality.

After seeing so many new products from Zanotta, which one do you like the most? Leave a comment and let us know. In the following articles, JP's editor will continue to bring more in-depth presentation of various brands' new products, so please stay tuned!

Organizer: JP Concept China
Producer: Yi
Editor: Xinwei
Image copyright: Zanotta