Have a Seat

At the Salone del Mobile Milano this year, Italian brand Pedrali unveiled its latest collections, in addition to pieces that augment some of its existing families, at an intriguingly eye-catching stand. Dreamt up by architects Migliore+Servetto, this comprised a U-shaped arrangement of houses with a zigzagging roofline – in effect, a street – that enclosed a spacious square, complete with benches. Once lured into this animated space, visitors encountered a rainbow-hued panorama of furniture which they could also view close-up.

Some of PEDRALI's new designs – including its DOME chair, VIC armchair and LUNAR table – are certainly colourful, and looked all the more so at the fair for being grouped together, their fashionable, vivid shades – mustard, terracotta, peacock blue and aqua – contrasting with each other. Not that they are all brightly coloured; some designs were in quieter tones – grey, olive green, dusty pink and natural wood tones were also in evidence. But more striking than these jolts of brilliant colour was the fact that these pieces effortlessly incorporated different materials and finishes, from industrial-looking polypropylene and powder-coated steel to relatively more traditional leather upholstery and organic wood.

This confident marrying of different materials makes its streamlined pieces stand out from its competitors in the sector on which it concentrates – the contract furniture market, which accounts for over 80 per cent of its annual turnover. ‘We increasingly make products that mix materials and enhance our expertise in manufacturing with metal, plastics and upholstery, all developed at our HQ in Mornico al Serio, Bergamo, northern Italy, as well as at our wood division in Manzano in the province of Udine,’ says Monica Pedrali, the firm’s CEO. ‘Our in-house, multi-material production facilities are part of our DNA and make us unique.’

PEDRALI’s state-of-the-art wood division, which celebrates its 10th anniversary this year, was set up to make use of a natural, sustainable material and was expanded in 2012 to a 19,000 square-metre production facility. Although some way east of Mornico al Serio, Manzano, in the region of Friuli, was the right place to set this up. After all, Friuli is Italy’s — and indeed one of Europe’s — key chair-making centres, and boasts a long tradition of producing wooden chairs.

PEDRALI favours timbers such as ash, oak, and walnut culled from responsibly managed European forests. In fact, environmental responsibility is deeply engrained in its culture. It substitutes plywood and veneers for solid wood to reduce the quantity of timber used, while its robotic painting system deploys water-based paints, which limits emissions of harmful volatile organic compounds. In recognition of its eco ethos, PEDRALI was awarded the FSC Chain of Custody certification in 2013.

Originally, the company was renowned for its plastic and metal furniture, so establishing its wood division inevitably enriched its repertoire of materials. Crucially, the eclectic mix of materials and finishes PEDRALI utilises allows it create versatile products. These, in turn, have the potential to be customised in myriad ways, rendering them yet more individual. ‘Many of our products come in different versions,’ says Pedrali. ‘We can develop highly customised designs which appeal, for example, to architects who are always looking out for unique products for their projects.’

PEDRALI's practice of mixing and matching materials is also applied to existing collections, such that these constantly evolve. In 2015, its OSAKA seating collection, co-designed by Michele Cazzaniga, Simone Mandelli and Antonio Pagliarulo, was entirely made of ash. But at the Milan fair this year, PEDRALI presented a new permutation of its chairs, which featured a powder-coated tubular steel frame in brick red, white and black. What’s more, OSAKA chairs come with or without armrests and with four legs or, alternatively, a sled base.

The sheer variety of materials and styles PEDRALI plays with was also reflected in other designs at its Milan stand. For example, its DOME chair, designed by Odo Fioravanti and so-called because of its architecture-influenced, dome-shaped backrest, is made of glass fibre-reinforced polypropylene. It’s available in two versions – with or without armrests and with a solid or a perforated back and seat, the latter designed to recall industrial metal plates. Then there was the elegantly skeletal LUNAR table, also made of a single material – this time metal – with its wafer-thin top resting on trapezoidal legs. This can be subtly customised since its top comes in various sizes and finishes.

Another new design, Patrick Norguet’s VIC armchair, offers a completely different aesthetic. This might seem comparatively classical for being upholstered, yet its pared-down silhouette gives it a modishly mid-century modern look. The gap between its backrest and seat also gives it a transparency and unimposing quality that make it suitable for modern, uncluttered interiors. Once again, there are several variations of VIC: it can be upholstered in leather or fabric and its ash legs can be stained grey or black.

The versatility of this brand’s products doesn’t simply meet a practical demand for individuality in the contract sector, as Pedrali points out. It also cleverly mirrors a trend for public spaces that offer users an unforgettable, inimitable experience. ‘Communal spaces are increasingly created with the idea of offering a unique, memorable experience – one that involves all the senses,’ she explains. ‘An extraordinarily comfortable seat, a fabric’s softness, a plastic material’s unexpected texture – all these elements contribute to create multiple settings and moods.’

Such subtlety might be rare in the contract furniture sector, but PEDRALI's multi-faceted designs possess it in abundance.

© Architonic


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