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Le Bambole — Granbambola Sofa

c. 1972 / 2022

by Mario Bellini
for B&B Italia

Le Bambole — Granbambola Sofa

by Mario Bellini
for  B&B Italia

or Call to Order

As a part of the 50th anniver­sary of Le Bambole by Mario Bellini, B&B Italia revamps the three-seater sofa with a deeper seat intro­duc­ing the Granbam­bole. Initially designed in 1972, the series won numer­ous awards, includ­ing the pres­ti­gious Compasso d’Oro in 1979. If you have ever taken one of your bed pillows and plumped” it, hit it in the center and watched the corners expand, you’ve just re-created Bellini’s inspi­ra­tion for his Le Bambole seating design. The action of plump­ing” and the result­ing full­ness visu­ally connotes a profound bedtime” comfort and soft­ness – precisely the feeling Bellini wanted to impart to all Le Bambole pieces.

Fifty years after their initial creation, these iconic Italian designs have evolved for increased sustain­abil­ity and comfort. The new collec­tion refits the Bambola single-seat lounge chair, the Bibam­bola two-seater sofa, and the Bamboletto bed.

The construc­tion, based initially on a metal struc­ture embed­ded in polyurethane, now features the latest mate­ri­als, start­ing with a recy­cled poly­eth­yl­ene struc­ture. For added sustain­abil­ity, the compo­nents of Le Bambole can be disas­sem­bled entirely and are easily recyclable.

The under­side base is 100% jute textile. All pieces in the Le Bambole sofa collec­tion are avail­able with numer­ous uphol­stery options in fabric and leather. For quick-ship options, please see the spec sheet to the left or call 800.886.0867 for details.

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Mario Bellini

Italy

Mario Bellini is one of Italy’s most renowned design talents. As an architect, he has designed structures around the world, such as the Tokyo Design Centre, the National Gallery of Victoria, and the Milan Convention Centre. His illustrious oeuvre also moves far beyond architecture—he’s a skilled industrial designer, urban planner, and furniture designer who has influenced all corners of the industry.

Bellini began his foray into the design world as an architect in the 1960’s, and by 1963 he started to incorporate furniture and product design into his work. For nearly three decades, Bellini was the chief design consultant for Olivetti, where he created product designs for typewriters, portable calculators, and early computer consoles. Bellini’s masterful understanding of form became evident in both his product and furniture work. Many of the bestselling designs from his early career, such as Le Bambole seating line for B&B Italia and the Cab chair for Cassina, continue to be produced.

With over 25 pieces of his industrial design in their permanent collection, MoMA celebrated Bellini’s contribution to the design world with a 1987 retrospective of his work.

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