Naessi Studio Undated

A sculptural seating series inspired by artifacts and ancient ruins.

Rome-based multidisciplinary design firm Naessi Studio produces work that explores the poetry of everyday objects and spaces via innovative concepts and contemporary aesthetics. For one of their latest designs, founders Eleonora Carbone and Alessandro D’Angeli looked to the history of Rome for inspiration. More specifically, at the idea of reinterpreting ancient ruins and artifacts through a fresh design gesture. Envisioned as a bridge between past and present, Undated is a solid wood seat that boasts imperfections and details that remind of an antique object. Featuring a worn surface, the seat is reminiscent of a found piece of furniture, a fragment of a previously whole design. At the same time, Undated is distinctly contemporary. It boasts a minimalist silhouette with a hefty build.

To create the seating series, the Italian studio collaborated with carpentry workshop Studio F. Handmade from solid wood, Undated features a curved form with an ergonomic design, doubling as an art object. The weighty volume has a bold presence in a room, mirroring the heaviness and solidity of the natural timber. The seat also draws a connection between the body and the ground during the act of sitting, similarly to a ruin anchored into the earth of a city or a tree that sinks its roots into earth. Apart from the standard seat, the Undated collection also comprises a high seat and a linear bench.

Made from solid wood and hand-assembled, the series features a black finish created with the Japanese shou sugi ban technique. This treatment gives the timber an intense hue and also protects it from the elements and insects. Naessi Studio launched the collectible Undated at the 2022 edition of the Lake Como Design Festival, which took place between 17 – 25 September. Photographs © Studio Naessi. Images courtesy of Naessi Studio.