Design in Stillness: A Lasting Legacy in Modern Furniture

Takahama’s enduring partnership with Gavina led to a series of now-iconic pieces that span furniture design, lighting design, and even public infrastructure. He contributed not only to interiors but to the city of Bologna itself, designing its airport’s VIP lounge, its public bus shelters, and an avant-garde creative space called Centre Duchamp. His furniture designs from this period are marked by precision and an economy of gesture—chairs, sofas, and tables that feel both elemental and elevated. After Gavina’s company was absorbed by Knoll and later became part of Simon International (now under Cassina), Takahama’s reach only expanded. His pieces—like the folding Antella table, the stackable Gaja chair, or the ethereal Djuna table—combined technical ingenuity with sculptural grace. While rooted in the clean logic of Bauhaus design and European modernism, his work often folded in subtle Japanese references: lacquered finishes, modular thinking, and origami-like forms. One of his most celebrated series, the Suzanne lounge chairs (named after his sister), embodied this hybrid identity: minimal in form, balanced in structure, and quietly profound. Even in commercial success, Takahama never lost his measured restraint.

Der Beitrag Kazuhide Takahama: Quiet Lines Between Two Worlds erschien zuerst auf ohne-butter.

In the year of 1964, Aldo Businaro acquired a Palladian style villa, outside of Monselice, a small town located in the near of Padua, based in the North of Italy. At the time Businaro bought the Villa, the old house was unliveable. In 1924 the house was bought by the father of Businaro. For decades the building was used for agricultural storage.

 Aldo was nevertheless determined to convert the Palazzo into a family home. So, one year later he moved in with his wife Lucia and his three sons. One of his sons still remembers how the whole family were sleeping in one room, or how his mother cooked their food on a camping cooker. 

Businaro not only wanted to restore the villa, but he also wanted to convert the house into a family residence, something special. 

In the late 60’s the two famous Italian designers named Carlo Scarpa and his son Tobia Scarpa stepped in and helped Businaro to fulfill his dream family house.

 A friendship for eternity developed between the two families. In a span of nearly 40 years, the remaking of the “Il Palazzetto” would bring together the lives of not just two generations of the Businaro family but also two generations of Scarpa’s.

At a Businaro family lunch, Tobia Scarpa described how he designed the villa. “Because I’m a lefty,” he said, “I design with both hands: serious things with the right, and things that don’t matter with the left.” For the young Scarpa the kitchen and the fireplaces were left-hand projects. 

There wasn’t a plan when Aldo Businaro invited Carlo Scarpa to start designing at the Villa in 1970. At that time, Scarpa was like a prophet in his own land. The architect was respected by a lot of American designers like Lloyd Wright or Louis Kahn.

 So, whenever Businaro knew that the “Professore” –  as he called Scarpa – didn’t have work to do, he would say “Professore, come and make me something.”

The last invention in 2006 from Carlo Scarpa and Businaro, who died during the final stages of construction, was the monumental external staircase that Scarpa had designed in 1970 but which had not been built.

Tobia Scarpa, who faithfully implemented his father’s drawings and ideas, also finished the impressive staircase. This represents the completion of that ideal path between the ancient and the modern.  That is today Villa Palazzetto, an admirable fusion of late Renaissance architectural thought with the genius of the 20th century modernism.

Der Beitrag Il Palazzetto” Designed For a Timeless Family Home erschien zuerst auf ohne-butter.

It´s midsummer time – the heat is sizzling and we all could use a cold drink. With a chilled glass of fresh orange juice in one hand, we invite you to take a seat on our green outdoor lounge chairs designed by Carlo Hauner to chat about him and his friendship with architect and designer Martin Eisler. But first, let’s take some ice cubes from our silver pineapple ice bucket designed by Mauro Manetti to cool down our drinks before we embark on an imaginary trip to South American mid-century modern design… 

The friendship between Martin Eisler and Carlo Hauner blossomed in the wake of sorrowful circumstances. At that time, the shadow of the Second World War was looming over Europe and the two men were forced to leave their lives behind, respectively. Shortly after receiving his architecture degree in 1936, Viennese-born Martin Eisler left his hometown and emigrated to Argentina, where he began to exercise his profession as an architect and opened up his interior design firm “Interieur Forma”. A couple of years later, in the 1950s, Eisler decided to move to Brazil, where he was looking for help to produce furniture for the home of his brother-in-law. During his search, Eisler came across Italian designer Carlo Hauner – who also had left his homeland behind during the Second World War and emigrated to Brazil.

Most likely fueled by their similar life experiences and similar professional interests, the two men became not only working colleagues but foremost great friends. Together, they opened a gallery and furniture company in São Paulo – which later merged into the iconic interieur firm called Forma, one of the biggest names on the Brazilian scene of mid-century modern furniture production. Forma´s designs are characterized by the use of exotic Brazilian wood (Jacaranda, Civiona) and filigree metal rocks. Forma’s aim was to “return to the roots”, focusing on the aesthetics of handcrafted design. Up to this day, furniture produced by Forma in the 1960s and 1970s is highly sought-after and features in exhibitions around the world. As a team, the two friends Martin Eisler and Carlo Hauner certainly left their footprint on the stylistic landscape of Brazilian mid-century modern design.

We hope you enjoyed this little imaginary trip to Brazil  – now it’s time to return to our Carlo Hauner seats and continue to relish in the warm sun! Stay tuned for our next summer tale…

xx 

ohne butter team

Der Beitrag “Better Together”: A Tale About Two Friends erschien zuerst auf ohne-butter.