Designed for GUBI by Michele De Lucchi’s AMDL Circle, Bistra is a sculptural furniture collection that distillates the classic bistro chair to its essential shape, finding elegance and timelessness in its main structural elements. This formal reduction work highlights the strength of minimal design, where each line, each curve, finds its place with precision and poetry. Composed of a dining chair, a chaise longue and a three-legged stool, the collection is rooted in its main material: steam-curved rattan. This natural material, flexible and resistant, is worked according to traditional artisanal techniques that allow to reveal all the expressive richness. It gives the whole a warm and organic presence. Its visual language is inspired by the idea of organic growth, expressed in the arborescent contours of the legs, arms and backrest, and echoed in the custom-designed padding, which features a botanical pattern inspired by a fresco by Leonardo da Vinci. The aesthetics of Bistra thus evoke the plant world, as if each piece took root in space. The textile pattern adds an artistic and narrative dimension, reinforcing the link between nature, art and design. Available in three frame colors and several fabrics, Bistra is a versatile seating collection that blends artisanal traditions of furniture making with exquisite contemporary craftsmanship. It adapts elegantly to a variety of environments, from residential interiors to public spaces, and embodies a vision of design where craftsmanship and contemporary creativity dialogue with subtlety.
Born in Italy in 1951, Michele de Lucchi graduated in architecture in 1975 and is considered to be one of the key figures of the Memphis movement, which influenced design in the 1980s by breaking down diktats and advocating fantasy, humour and freedom. He is one of Italy's last 'maestri', following in the footsteps of Ettore Sottsass, whose pupil and accomplice he was. He designs lighting and furniture for major brands such as Kartell. In particular, he created the Tolomeo lamp, published by Artemide, which is regarded as an essential design classic. Until 2002, he was head of the design department at Olivetti, but in 1990 his need to experiment led him to set up Produzione Privata in Milan, a small company using only traditional production techniques to produce limited edition design products. An architect and designer, his creations are bold and interdisciplinary. He enjoys designing simple, refined decorative objects (such as the KADO vases), as well as large-scale architectural projects. Michele de Lucchi has received numerous awards for his commitment to architecture and design, including the Honory Doctorate from Kingston University. More recently, he was appointed Professor of Design at the Milan Polytechnic and a member of the National Academy of San Luca in Rome.
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GUBI
Founded in 1967 in Denmark, Gubi is an iconic design brand known for its visionary approach blending Scandinavian heritage and modernity. Installed in former docks of Copenhagen, the company reprints cult pieces while collaborating with renowned contemporary designers. His goal: to create timeless, bold and deeply elegant furniture.