MILAN – For the 56th edition of the Salone Internazionale del Mobile in Milan, Knoll presents new collections and iconic designs, which collectively reaffirm the creative vision that has made the company a world-famous brand.
The collaboration between Knoll and Piero Lissoni continues with his design of Grasshopper, a collection of tables that expresses a perfect balance between modernity and tradition.
Lissoni explains: “If this table could be described with just two words, they would be flared and lightweight. Indeed, Grasshopper borrows its name from the animal that has six precision tools for legs. Here, there are four—equally long and incredible and yet perfectly functional. Above them sits a top that is so thin that it looks able to lift up and take to the air. An object that is so weightless and compact that it works perfectly with all the chairs of the Knoll range.”
The elegance of Grasshopper results from its combination of surface and structure: the surfaces, distinguished by their slenderness, are available in an innovative rectangular form with rounded corners or in a circular format, while the structure is composed of very thin, high-performance cast steel elements available in chrome, burnished or lacquer finishes. Grasshopper also includes a family of low tables conceived as a minimal planetary system, tracing out circular orbits around the main table.
The range of new products from Piero Lissoni continues with Matrioska, a storage system of open and closed containers of varying geometries, where light and shadow confer lightness and simplicity to the volumes.
“I thought of it as an open and minimal house with forms one inside the other, a sequence of empty and full spaces. A kind of rulebook of shapes, proportions and dimensions that narrate the way the space can be organized through an orchestration of colors and materials—marble, wood, lacquer and glass,” says Lissoni, describing the cabinet design.
In addition to these introductions, Knoll presents enhancements to the Avio Sofa System, an innovative, modular design of upholstered furniture with a relaxed and informal style, incorporating a metal structure and soft cushions, with clean lines that conceal its complex workings. This year, Avio evolves by incorporating asymmetry in the original design and is also available in a compact version.
"Our space at the Salone illustrates the innovative spirit of Knoll design through the new creations developed for this year by Piero Lissoni, celebrating the past and future story of the brand at the same time," says Demetrio Apolloni, President of Knoll Europe.
In keeping with the company’s “Modern Always” perspective, the Knoll Salone display features these contemporary products alongside modern classics designed by Florence Knoll, Mies van der Rohe, Eero Saarinen and Harry Bertoia, all housed in an exhibition space curated with great style and attention to detail. Entitled “This is Knoll,” the installation was designed by OMA, the acclaimed designed firm co-founded by Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas, as an ultra-modern version of the Barcelona Pavilion by Mies van der Rohe. Focusing on plays of colors, styles and timeless furnishing, the installation brings new connotations to design classics as they are mixed together with contemporary pieces.
For the 2017 edition of the Salone del Mobile, OMA asked the designer Sabine Marcelis to present an experiment in glass, metal and color, with architectural panels that act as spatial dividers or theatrical wings.
“OMA has created our stand to emphasize the contribution of our founders, who brought the benefits of modern design into both homes and places of work,” says Benjamin Pardo, Executive Vice President for Design of Knoll.
Andrew Cogan, CEO of Knoll, Inc. comments: “Hans and Florence Knoll created a business founded on an unwavering commitment to good design. The goal of our innovation is always timelessness and adaptability — rejecting short-term trends and anticipating the inevitability of change. Our task is to ensure that Knoll remains vital and synonymous with good design for generations to come.”
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