New York, New York, USA
George Ranalli’s new Festa Credenza II is a modern reboot of the kind of traditional sideboard—with no legs or extremely short ones, and sliding doors—typically found in dining rooms.
Materials include birds-eye maple veneer and walnut on 3/4″ Baltic birch. Plywood bas
Festa Credenza is the result of a thoughtful, balanced, and scientific approach to design.
With it, Ranalli set out to transform the recognizable shape of a sideboard into something less recognizable, simply to arouse curiosity.
It avoids the simple, rectilinear composition with its “T”-shaped design, comprising a central element flanked by two cantilevered wings.
The 1:2 ratio of its geometry reflects the shape of a bird in flight.
The sideboard can be used in domestic, office, retail, or education settings. Users can personalize the piece by adjusting its three dimensions: horizontal, vertical, and inside out.
The artfully arranged sliding drawers provide plenty of space for documents, equipment, or any kind of personal belongings.
With a passion for the history of traditional craftsmanship that goes beyond function, Ranalli imbues his furniture designs with powerful ideas about homes as places where memories, associations, and dissonances transcend the physical.
Inspired by the inventiveness of 20th-Century interior design, the history of craft traditions, and the human need for a sense of place, Ranalli has developed a uniquely modern design language that’s particularly in tune with both history and setting.
Ranalli’s custom-made furniture pieces, usually designed for a particular building, have continued to evolve, taking on new forms and functions.
Project: Festa Credenza II
Architect: George Ranalli