100 years of Achille Castiglioni_Allunaggio

This piece of design is one of the most experimental designed by the Castiglioni brothers. It is the celebration of one of the most important events of the conquest of space: the man’s landing on the moon.

It is an unusual stool, reduced to the minimum terms, stripped of everything but the essential to perform its function, another example of that minimalism which characterizes the Castiglioni style.

It consists of three slender legs in curved tubular steel with a diameter of 22 mm on which rests an aluminum seat. The considerable distance between these three legs is the clear reference to the man’s landing on the moon and gives stability on the ground and at the same time lightness and strength of the structure.

Born to be used mainly outdoors, in fact it resists outdoors, does not invade, does not fill and above all always for the width of the legs, does not cover the grass that can grow freely around having air available! Positioned in a garden, it looks like a large spider that roams the lawn! Perfect therefore for the outdoor environment but extremely original in the domestic environment.

Designed in 1965, it remains in the prototype stage until 1980, it is part of those objects with a zoomorphic design conceived by Castiglioni and among the series of those made from already existing objects, the ready made objects. A proof of how inexpensive and mass-produced materials could be transformed into innovative design (the Allunaggio seat is a re-examination of a tractor seat!).

Unfortunately, the excessive irony of the project at the expense of its functionality, greatly delayed production. Only fifteen years after the design, Castiglioni and Zanotta found an agreement on the commercial model. This certainly marked the beginning of a new look at the world of design and in particular that world of design conceived as a reflection of socio-cultural changes and the new customs of contemporary life.

In 1981, Allunaggio was chosen for the Italian Compasso d’Oro award and became part of the collection of the Kunstgewerbe Museum in Zurich.

Once again it is the playful spirit of Achille Castiglioni to be the protagonist. Allunaggio is a product that, like many others, tells a story revealing again the great qualities of the Master’s communicator. He worked while having fun and entertained the audience, expressing his genius playing with objects as “guided by a kind of protracted childhood”. Perhaps this is his secret: to preserve the spirit of an eternally curious child! … “if you are not curious, forget it“!

Produced by Zanotta, it is available in green or aluminum varnish.

A… spatial thing!

#weLoveAchille