Benedetta Tagliabue: "It was lovely to rediscover the hand-craft tradition of wicker"

MILAN DESIGN WEEK__Expormim is well-known for working rattan material with its experienced craftsmen. The company invited the architect Benedetta Tagliabue to create a contemporary concept of rattan seats, showcased at iSaloni 2013 during the Milan Design Week.

“Expormim has been producing beautiful wicker furniture, which is a tradition in Spain, for years. However we have a desire to renew this type of craft. Having also seen our Spanish Pavilion created for the Shanghai Expo, where the wicker is redesigned and reinvented, we were called to make new wicker furniture” said Benedetta Tagliabue.

“It was lovely to rediscover the hand-craft tradition of wicker, by trying to create something contemporary, extremely familiar, something that defines itself according to the position that the human body assumes when relaxing on a sofa or on an armchair. The bench and the armchair, indeed, seem to rest on each other, giving the impression of being relaxed”.

The tina, expormim and bench was a challenge both in its development and manufacturing. Benedetta Tagliabue designed the seats with a clear intention: to use the rattan tradition in order to create a sleek and sinuous design, working with the best craftsmen. Tina is able to transform any room into a pleasant environment, brings the elegance of nature and represents the Mediterranean lifestyle.

For Benedetta Tagliabue, principal of the EMBT | Enric Miralles - Benedetta Tagliabue, the Tina collection reflects one of her most recognized values: a tribute to the beauty of simplicity and craftsmanship. This is the first design available for an indoor environment designed by EMBT studio, which had previously created furniture for public spaces.