Posted in Culture
Iconic Botolo Chair Resurfaces
![Botolo Chair Vintage](https://context-gallery.imgix.net/products/Botolo-chair-vintage.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=clip&q=60&w=2000&s=636ebbb6d984d013bf47c4cac460f994 2000w, https://context-gallery.imgix.net/products/Botolo-chair-vintage.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=clip&q=60&w=1565&s=4711ac8e9655dac973e92791cb40bb1d 1565w, https://context-gallery.imgix.net/products/Botolo-chair-vintage.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=clip&q=60&w=1000&s=205813ea3416c0b78c0803163d83cf44 1000w, https://context-gallery.imgix.net/products/Botolo-chair-vintage.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=clip&q=60&w=600&s=21ae6e9f39f2c9c59ebc01a12c24da28 600w)
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, for Arflex](https://context-gallery.imgix.net/products/b/botolo-chair/Arflex-Botolo-Chair-CONTEXT-10.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=clip&q=60&w=1180&s=01eccc26ab0ce7c6bf824101fb53854f 1180w, https://context-gallery.imgix.net/products/b/botolo-chair/Arflex-Botolo-Chair-CONTEXT-10.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=clip&q=60&w=1000&s=38b130e1f14200f48385c991319abfdf 1000w, https://context-gallery.imgix.net/products/b/botolo-chair/Arflex-Botolo-Chair-CONTEXT-10.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=clip&q=60&w=600&s=fe9a76fe76ab5faacf186ab00f999f79 600w)
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.
![Interior-Design-John-Pawson-Jaffa-hotel-Tel-Aviv-bar-lounge-1018-Photography-by-Amit-Geron_Interior-Design](https://context-gallery.imgix.net/products/Interior-Design-John-Pawson-Jaffa-hotel-Tel-Aviv-bar-lounge-1018-Photography-by-Amit-Geron_Interior-Design.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=clip&q=60&w=770&s=db39e8f4a69487d14c50d64c487b3e24 770w, https://context-gallery.imgix.net/products/Interior-Design-John-Pawson-Jaffa-hotel-Tel-Aviv-bar-lounge-1018-Photography-by-Amit-Geron_Interior-Design.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=clip&q=60&w=600&s=fd88c15e505881feb4bf36cddf31c95c 600w)
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.
![South-Yarra-Residence-by-Fiona-Lynch-Yellowtrace-10-1](https://context-gallery.imgix.net/products/botolo-chair-arflex.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=clip&q=60&w=1500&s=a6010ac643cf8228f7b261e6c70b50af 1500w, https://context-gallery.imgix.net/products/botolo-chair-arflex.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=clip&q=60&w=1000&s=14816d5225ec5d5bb54a54607826df09 1000w, https://context-gallery.imgix.net/products/botolo-chair-arflex.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=clip&q=60&w=600&s=6142e32aedc40072d72310fc6722a270 600w)