Frans Vogelaar as a member of the architectural and design office “Studio Alchimia” in Milan, Italy, designed, based on one sketch by Alessandro Mendini, and in close collaboration with the renown Italian furniture manufacturer “Driade”, the “Sabrina” chair and bench.
Frans also developed the prototype and supervised the industrial production of the “Sabrina” furniture series.
Design & Prototype Development, Supervision Industrial Production, Chair Sabrina by Allesandro Mendini @ Driade, Alzaia Trieste 49, Corsico, Italia, 1982
Alesandro
Mendini
Studio
Alchimia
Studio Alchimia, Armchair Sabrina, Alessandro Mendini & Frans Vogelaar, Studio Alchimia, 1982
Photographer: Emilio Tremolada, 1988
Paolo
Deganello
The basic element of the chair “Sabrina”, provided the structure for furniture designs not only by Alessandro Mendini but also by Paolo Deganello, the co-founder of the Florence-based “Archizoom Associati studio”, advancing the concept of Radical Design.
Achille
Castiglioni
The third designer to be involved ibn the chair “Sabrina” project was the famous Italian designer Achille Castiglioni (16 February 1918 – 2 December 2002). Next to Alessandro Mendini and Paolo Deganello, also Achille Castiglioni developed furniture designs based on the basic structure of “Sabrina”.
“Sabrina” thus provided a unique collaboration opportunity of these most influential actors of the cultural design production of the late 20th century.
Driade, the Italian furniture manufacturer, is an aesthetic lab in continuous search for beauty in living space. The aesthetic lab is the result of the desire to introduce experimentation into mass-produced products.
Driade, started 1968, is collaborating with exceptional designers who, together with the company, contributed to creating significant pieces that make up the picture of the history of design.
The chair “Sabrina” in 1982 was the start of the collaboration between Alessandro Mendini at Studio Alchimia and “Driade”, the Italian furniture manufacturer, famous for introducing experimentation into mass-produced products and committed to the idea that eclecticism, blend of cultures, curiosity and surprise are the true essence of our age and thus contemporary art of living.
Sabrina
Studio Alchimia, Armchair Sabrina, Alessandro Mendini & Frans Vogelaar, Studio Alchimia, 1982
Photographer: Emilio Tremolada, 1988
Basic
Element
The basic technical inner element was defined and produced by “Driade”. Integrating this inner element into the design of the “Sabrina” furniture series, Frans Vogelaar designed, developed and supervised the production of the chair and bench (1981-1982).
The basic technical inner element was the starting point for furniture designs by Alessandro Mendini, Paolo Deganello and Achille Castiglioni, enabling a unique collaboration of these three world-famous representatives of Italian avant-garde post-Radical Design.
Scheme
Proto
Type
related PROJECTS
related PRESS