TAO.
The name of this chair reveals the core of the project.
In fact it is precisely on the T-shaped support of the backrest that we have focused our attention on. At the root of the concept is clearly the recovery of a classic style, typical of the ’50s and ’60s design. The two wooden shells joined by the metal frame are an image that each of us has in our memory, from everyday examples such as school chairs or Nordic bistro chairs to Eames’ immortal masterpieces.
Starting from this more than consolidated solution, the focus of the intervention was on formal cleanliness and structural research until finding a supporting system narrowed to the essential, a sturdy and simple frame capable of conveying lightness, transforming the seat and backrest into two leaves suspended in the air, without screws or rivets as in past examples.
The two die-cast aluminum ends were the decisive choice, solving at the same time the backrest fixing system and resulting as the distinctive feature of the product. Tao is a strong and refined chair with a clean and friendly face but a sophisticated and pragmatic soul.
The feature of being padded and stackable makes the Tao chair comfortable and functional, perfect to be used in public spaces such as restaurants, bars, hotels and conference rooms.
It can be stored neatly to optimize space and handled just as easily.
“What I’ve always heard from designers,
the good ones, is that a chair must be nice viewed from behind”
Discover the journey from ideation to production with the designer himself in this video.
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TA 1004Details
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TA 1004Details
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TA 7004Details
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TA 7004Details
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Multilayer beech plywood shell
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Steel tube frame
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Dye-cast aluminium ends
From the success of the NOT family of upholstered armchairs comes the new compact and lightweight version characterized by the variable-thickness bentwood shell.
Tao – Small lunch chair
Tao is a small lunch chair perfect for those spaces which crave designer furnishing.
The idea behind this project has its origins in the imagination of the Italian studio for architecture Orlandini, which, beyond all, aims to bring back to life the artistic conceptualism of the 1950s and 60s. In doing so, Tao borrows some of the typical details of school chairs of that period, but also the particularities of nordic seats and the masterly design style of Eames. The fulcrum of this lunch chair is the T-shaped axis which defines and supports the back. The two main components which form Tao have been imagined out of multilayered wooden material, with finishing available in oak or walnut. The four-legged base has been composed out of varnished steel. Despite all this, the structural composition of Tao remains not only solid and resilient but also light, comfortable and accommodating. To further develop this seat collection, we have added a wide range of padding which could be added to every chair which, in order to satisfy everybody’s expectations, come in two different sizes.
Sinuous, elegant and modern- Tao is the perfect breakfast chair for public venues such as bars, restaurants and hotel lobbies. Beyond that, these seats have been conceived for the ultimate purpose to become easily stackable, so that they can be conveniently stored in any space.
Tao is a simple lunch chair which nevertheless delivers a comfortable and pleasing experience. Its traditional design is characterized by an intrinsic harmony and beauty that make it perfect for any style of furniture, and an excellent addition to the Blade collection of tables.