Stories Marco Lavit talks about Lemni by Living Divani Text by Marilena Sobacchi Add to bookmarks Photo by Cesare Chimenti Inspired by the “lemniscus,” the bundle of secondary sensory fibres in the brainstem, this chair is distinguished by its elegant curving inverted figure eight shape and essential hallmark style. Lemni in just a few words. A suspended leather seat, balanced on a tubular steel frame that describes a gentle outline in the air, taking in the bolster-shaped cushion of the backrest, structurally reminiscent of architecture. Part furnishing, part sculpture, it expresses a desire to do away with superfluous weight and float freely in the air. Tell us about the creative and design concept behind Lemni Starting from a tubular semicircle, it multiplies by rotating 90° each time, generating points of contact between the semicircles, which become the soldering points of the frame. This informs a lemnistic '∞' curve, which is three-dimensional. The mystery of the infinite is played out in a closed and sinuous outline, suggesting an unfinished concept that is actually one of the most perfect geometries. The idea of a perfect geometry informed the design right from the start, and the front repeats the circle inscribed in the Vitruvian square. The frame therefore becomes the essential and necessary element that allows the chair to exist, like a piece of architecture. A geometrical structure from which to hang the leather sling that takes shape with the weight of the sitter, like a spontaneous gesture, creating a curve on which the person can be suspended. The geometry has been thought out with minimalism to the fore, with only two touch points, entrusting the semicircles with the weight distribution right down as far as the ground. The backrest, a padded leather cylinder, has also been conceived as a volume in its own right, rounding off the comfort of the chair. With this chair, did the study of materials come before or after the actual design process? Afterwards, in order to cater to the technical demands of the design: the choice of tubular frame, the suspended leather seat reinforced with a nylon insert. Lemni is a gesture, first and foremost. What sort of relationship grew up between you and Lemni? Lemni was designed to cradle the body and carry it suspended on the frame. It’s not a product to be contemplated but to be dressed. Wearing it for the first time was like getting ready for a great occasion, especially as it was also the first purely industrial product that I’ve created, after a number of experiences in the world of collectible design. How and where do you see this product in 10 years’ time? I see it in a suite, made even more stunning by the view from the window behind it, iconic and discreet, it could be there for one, ten or twenty years, it doesn’t matter, who knows! Photo by Giorgio Possenti 14 July 2021 Share See AlsoOther Articles Stories The holiday library. 5 important books to savor tranquilly From Robert Wilson’s chairs to fables about the Castiglioni brothers. From the Compasso d’Oro to Beatrice Leanza’s thoughts and a bookazine on luxury. Essential reading for all those with a passion for the topic. Patrizia Malfatti Exhibitions The latest outdoor furnishing, championing sustainability, material and colour Comfortable and sustainable, outdoor furnishing lends itself to many different interpretations, channelling innovation and constantly evolving aesthetics Marilena Pitino Stories The biology of light, according to Manuel Spitschan What does chronobiology have to do with design? Manuel Spitschan, professor at the Technische Universität München, explains why light is essential to our well-being. And why designers should know more about it to design better. Giulia Zappa
Stories The holiday library. 5 important books to savor tranquilly From Robert Wilson’s chairs to fables about the Castiglioni brothers. From the Compasso d’Oro to Beatrice Leanza’s thoughts and a bookazine on luxury. Essential reading for all those with a passion for the topic. Patrizia Malfatti
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