Grissini Bench

Award-winning architect Giulio Lazzotti, working in the tradition of classic Italian sculptors and craftsmen, creates objects of striking elegance and sophisticated simplicity. With an eye for fine materials and an architect's concern for straightforward solutions, he has designed the Grissini Bench, a sleek leather and steel piece for sitting or lounging. Named after the Grissini breadsticks one finds on many restaurant tables across Italy, the Grissini Bench (2005) is supported by thin chrome-plated steel legs that occupy little volume and lend the seat a light presence no matter the environment, whether it is a modern art gallery, an office or the entryway of a home. The long, svelte seat is topped by a compact but comfortable pad made of double top-stitched, full-grain aniline leather, expertly applied over a single piece of high-resilience foam. The chrome-plated steel frame, although it looks delicate, is durable and strong. The skeleton extends slightly from the bench seat to increase the airy appearance of the piece, and the chrome corners are joined in smooth mitered joints that underscore Lazzotti's concern for even the smallest details. Made in Italy. The name of the town, Pietrasanta, where Giulio Lazzotti lives and works, can be alternately translated as Saint Peter or "holy stone," the latter being wholly appropriate for a designer and architect whose work in marble, metal and wood takes on a serene, sculptural presence. Lazzotti was educated at the prestigious University of Florence, where he later returned to teach architecture. Since 1975, Lazzotti has maintained a diverse practice encompassing architecture, interior design, and furniture design, winning such awards as first prize for Design at the Moving Fair of Paris, the Torre Guinigi prize in Lucca for Urban Design for the Historical center of Pietrasanta, the top ten in the International Chair Fair at Udine and most recently, the Good Design prize from the Japan Industrial Design Promotion Organization. Following in the tradition of classic Italian sculptors and craftsman, Lazzotti's furniture is produced with an artisan's eye for material nuance, and imbued with modernist simplicity. Internationally recognized for his work with stone, Lazzotti has organized symposia on the material and taught courses like "Design in Marble" at the Academy of Art in Carrara, Italy (home to the famous white carrara marble quarries). Lazzotti has worked with many international companies, including Castigliani, Iveco, The Conran Shop, Mageia, Up e Up, Bernini, and Smith & Hawken. His work is included in the permanent collections of MoMA in New York and the Art Institute of Chicago. http://www.dwr.com/category/designers/h-l/giulio-lazzotti.do