At the unveiling of its new, spacious shop-in-shop at Dream Interiors late last month, the leading Italian furniture producer chose to shine the spotlight on a product that has, till now, been something of an ‘urban legend’, spoken in awed tones, and which only a very privileged few have seen up-close.

The Valiero bookcase by Franco Albini

The Veliero bookcase, conceived by Franco Albini in 1940, was a gravity-defying feat of engineering that recalled the masts and rigging of a sailing ship. The challenging design was never produced and the one-off piece remained in Albini’s Milan home till it collapsed about two decades later.

Valiero close-up

The fact that Cassina has picked up on the Valiero bookcase to produce is just one of many telling examples of the company’s research and technological capabilities, and its boldness, and explains why Cassina has long been one of Italy’s most respected furniture producers.

LC4 chaise-longue by Le Corbusier, Pierre Jeanneret and Charlotte Perriand

LC1 by Le Corbusier, Pierre Jeanneret and Charlotte Perriand

The Cassina collections feature many leading architects and designers from diverse backgrounds, such as Le Corbusier, Gio Ponti, Vico Magistretti, Gerrit Thomas Rietveld, Rodolfo Dordoni, Piero Lissoni and Jean-Marie Massaud.

Hill House 1 by Charles Rennie Mackintosh

Tabouret Berger by Charlotte Perriand

Apart from the Veliero Bookcase, new product updates, such as outdoor versions of key projects by Le Corbusier, Pierre Jeanneret and Charlotte Perriand, demonstrate the company’s farsightedness and its enduring focus on authenticity and innovation.

Tokyo chaise-longue by Charlotte Perriand (part of the new outdoor collection)

Zig Zag by Gerrit Thomas Rietveld

LC2 in colour, by Le Corbusier, Pierre Jeanneret and Charlotte Perriand

Cassina
cassina.it

Dream Interiors
dream-int.com