Giussano (MB), Italy
More than six decades after Gio Ponti first debuted the Round (D.154.5) Chair in1954, the rare and highly sought-after piece is receiving a new lease on life thanks to Molteni&C’s Heritage Collection reissue project.
Designed in 1954, full production began in 1956/1957 and it was officially presented at the 11th Milan Triennale in 1957 (Feal Pavilion), along with other innovative Ponti furnishings, in a limited number of examples which are now highly sought after by collectors.
Gio Ponti was very fond of this chair and often used it to furnish his architectural projects.
Often referred to as “Otto Pezzi” due to its eight-piece build, the chair features a wooden structure of multi-layered ash that supports rounded seats and backrests upholstered in any textiles and leathers from the Italian brand’s extensive collection.
Characterized by avant-garde materials and technologies, such as the Vipla (a plastic material that resembles leather) for the upholstery, curved plywood to join the backrest and seat, and metal feet with non-slip tips that are easy to assemble.
Featuring a wooden structure of multi-layered ash and black chrome or brushed brass feet, the Round D.154.5 chair can be covered with all textiles and leathers of the Molteni&C collection.
The early 1950s marked a turning point in Gio Ponti’s furniture designs, towards highly innovative solutions linked to functional and essential shapes: the end of the Second World War, with the desire to restart and rebuild a modern world full of novelties, thus moving away from the past; the availability of innovative materials, which made it possible to conceive objects that were previously unfeasible.
As with all the projects in the collection, the careful study of drawings, photos and period materials has made it possible to faithfully reproduce the armchair in every detail, bringing a forgotten masterpiece back to life.
Project: Round D.154.5 Chair
Architect: Gio Ponti (1954)
Manufacturer: Molteni & C SpA
