Posted in Culture
Iconic Botolo Chair Resurfaces
Italian Icon Cini Boeri’s 1973 Botolo chair sees a resurgence. A plush seat supported by three large tubular legs has a bold sensibility that takes admirers right back to 1973, when it was designed by Cini Boeri for Arflex.
The Botolo chair’s molded polyurethane foam seat, upholstered in fabric, leather, or fur, contrasts with the smooth lacquered metal supports to form a delightful chair with a striking personality. Reintroduced by Arflex in 2014, the groovy furnishing has since had a chance to influence a new set of design aficionados.
One person who has been captivated by Botolo is John Pawson, an architect known for his breathtaking minimalist forms. For the Jaffa hotel in Israel, recently featured on the cover of Interior Design, Pawson departs from his signature restrained style in a few key instances. A sea of dark yellow Botolo chairs with white legs decorate the bar and lounge, located in the chapel of the former 19th-century hospital that now houses the hotel. The setup creates a wonderful juxtaposition between the grand historical space and the über-playful modern chairs.
The Botolo chair is an unsung masterpiece from Boeri’s ouvre. Originals, in an amazing variety of colors and fabrics, occasionally appear at auction houses. Now that Botolo is in production once again, this multifunctional side chair is seeing resurgence far and wide — a journey that’s evident at the Jaffa hotel.