Marco Zanuso, Sofa

Sofa designed by Marco Zanuso

Rare sofa from 1950 that formed part of a revolutionary series of designs commissioned by Pirelli. Utilising elasticated webbing and cast foam, Zanuso changed the construction and appearance of modern seating. The profile offers lumbar support and with a high back and sculpted seat, the comfort levels are extremely high. The freedom to move away from an internal timber frame and coiled springs allowed for expressive shapes and a lightweight leg structure lifting the whole sofa on fine legs. The arm profiles are heavily influenced by fine-art, capturing the sculptural work of Calder and Arp.

Alongside this design, Zanuso also launched the Lady armchair which went on to be awarded first prize in the 1951 Milan Triennale.

Marco Zanuso opened his design studio in Milan in 1945. he worked as editor of Domus magazine from 1947-49 and as professor of architecture and design at Politecnico di Milano for nearly 30 years. Zanuso was instrumental in the development of post-war Italian design to its world-leading position. His work is represented in most leading museum collections.