CUSTOM PLR - Alky Chair By Giancarlo Piretti In New Velvet, Artifort, 1970s
View Similar Items
CUSTOM PLR - Alky Chair By Giancarlo Piretti In New Velvet, Artifort, 1970s
About the Item
- Creator:Giancarlo Piretti (Designer),Artifort (Manufacturer)
- Design:
- Dimensions:Height: 28.35 in (72 cm)Width: 26.78 in (68 cm)Depth: 32.68 in (83 cm)
- Style:Mid-Century Modern (Of the Period)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:1970s
- Condition:Reupholstered. In very nice condition.
- Seller Location:London Road, Baldock, GB
- Reference Number:Seller: 19931stDibs: LU2364333492562
Alky Chair
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 doesn’t 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 Piretti’s popularity in the United States can be attributed to Castelli’s 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 Piretti’s 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 Castelli’s 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 chair’s organic shape perfectly cradles the sitter — a true mark of the modernist dedication to human-centric design.
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.
More From This Seller
View AllMid-20th Century Dutch Mid-Century Modern Armchairs
Steel
Mid-20th Century Belgian Mid-Century Modern Armchairs
Steel
Antique 18th Century British Rustic Armchairs
Wood
Antique 18th Century British Rustic Armchairs
Wood
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps
Fiberglass
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Floor Lamps
Plastic, Fiberglass
You May Also Like
Vintage 1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
Wool, Alpaca, Mohair
Vintage 1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Armchairs
Metal
Vintage 1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Armchairs
Metal
Vintage 1970s Dutch Mid-Century Modern Armchairs
Aluminum
Vintage 1970s Dutch Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
Bouclé
Vintage 1970s Dutch Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
Wool, Alpaca, Mohair
