Gaetano Pesce designed the Up 50 armchair in 1969 for Italian furniture manufacturer B&B Italia. Like the Togo, it was conceived in the bathroom. While showering, Pesce took note of how a sponge shrank when pressed and then returned to its original volume. He then created a seat that is compacted into a four-inch-thick disk and rises from the floor into an armchair when removed from its PVC envelope.
The bulbous shape references the silhouettes of ancient fertility goddesses. Affixed to a ball-like ottoman with a chain, it was Pesce’s statement on the suffering of women caused by the “prejudice of men”. On the other hand, its playful form is an instant hit with children and the junior version fits small children just right.
Available from Space Furniture
