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Caval­letto Desk

c. 1950

by Franco Albini
for Cassina

Caval­letto Desk

by Franco Albini
for  Cassina

or Call to Order

The minimal lines of Cavaletto desk lead to its extremely light look that under­scores the exten­sive thought by designer Franco Albini, and the advanced wood-working skills of Cassina. Its stabil­ity is based on the prin­ci­ple of oppos­ing forces, the frame looks impro­vised, and the volumes and weights having been reduced.

Caval­letto, meaning trestle in English, is assem­bled using two tension­ing rods in burnished brass that also serve for bracing. The intri­cate construc­tion process illus­trates the excel­lence of the wood-working skills of the crafts­men of Meda, Italy. Offer­ing an extremely refined inter­pre­ta­tion of form, this vision of elegance shows Cassina’s custom­ary atten­tion to detail extend­ing to the metal parts, and the border trim on the tabletop. 

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Franco Albini

Italy (1905–1977)

Born in Milan in 1905, Franco Albini's work spans across furniture design, product design, architecture, urban planning and interior design. His work was an integration of modern design and Italian craftsmanship. Through his product and furniture design, Albini celebrated the raw form of materials and transparent construction. Albini would forgo ornament and encasement of furniture, to allow the structure to be revealed. In 1939, he debuted a radio fully encased in glass to expose the inner workings. His most well-known work is the Albini Desk in 1949 for Knoll, which is still in production today. As a designer, he has collaborated with Gio Ponti, Franca Helg, as well as Helg and Bob Noorda.

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