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About the Item
Giancarlo Piretti known for his abundant creativity, has created numerous iconic designs, such as the “Alky” lounge chair for Anonima Castelli, in 1969. The unique design offers a blend of comfort, style, and versatility. The chair features foam printed on elastic bands for stability and comfort, with aluminum alloy feet and connection elements. With its sleek lines the “Alky” lounge chair is suitable for a wide range of settings. Available in excellent condiiton with very few signs of age and use.Creator: Giancarlo Piretti (Designer),Anonima Castelli (Manufacturer)Design: Alky ChairDimensions: Height: 29.14 in (74 cm)Width: 25.99 in (66 cm)Depth: 27.56 in (70 cm)Seat Height: 15.75 in (40 cm)Style: Mid-Century Modern (Of the Period)Materials and Techniques: FabricPlace of Origin: ItalyPeriod: Mid-20th CenturyDate of Manufacture: 1960-1969Condition: GoodWear consistent with age and use.Seller Location: Budapest, HUReference Number: Seller: GB02441stDibs: LU9836240371732
Alky Chair
Designed by Giancarlo Piretti
In the 1960s, Giancarlo Piretti (b. 1940), who earned a degree in art education at the Academy of Fine Arts of Bologna and taught interior design, began working with the Italian manufacturer Castelli, where he would go on to produce some of the most popular chairs in the world. In 1969, he debuted the Alky chair, a sculptural, modernized riff on a slipper chair that appears to float above the ground.
Unlike most chairs, the Alky doesnt have a distinctive base and seat; rather the entire form appears as one continuous piece, originally upholstered in velvet and wool and set on narrow, aluminum feet.
Much of Pirettis popularity in the United States can be attributed to Castellis exhibition The Piretti Collection at the 1988 iteration of the NeoCon design exposition in Chicago. There, his ergonomic office seating earned him a slew of awards and led to increased global attention.
Compared to Pirettis widely revered folding chairs and wheeling desk chairs (the Plia, of which millions have sold, is in the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art; the DSC 106 is among Castellis best known), the Alky lounge chair no longer in production is by far the most sumptuous design. Yet, as much as its shapely silhouette has made it a favorite of interior designers in residential and commercial spaces alike, it is also rooted in comfort. Its foam-covered back and seat give soft resistance, and the Alky chairs organic shape perfectly cradles the sitter a true mark of the modernist dedication to human-centric design.
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Giancarlo Piretti
Giancarlo Piretti was born in Bologna, Italy, in 1940. He attended art schools there and subsequently taught Interior Design. During that time, he was also designing furniture for Anonima Castelli. He has won numerous awards and has items in many museums, including MoMA, New York. He still lives and works in Bologna with his son, designer Alessandro Piretti.
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