09/24/2025
โจMaterial Focus: R a t t a n โจ
๐ช๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐ถ๐ ๐ถ๐?
โข A climbing vine grown mainly in Southeast Asia.
๐ช๐ต๐ ๐ถ๐โ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ฎ๐ถ๐ป๐ฎ๐ฏ๐น๐ฒ?
โข Rapidly renewable
โข Harvested as cane (no need to fell whole trees).
โข Low-energy processing & biodegradable at end of life
๐ฅ๐ฎ๐๐๐ฎ๐ป ๐ถ๐ป ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ ๐ฒ๐ฑ๐ถ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ป ๐ฉต
โ Charlotte Perriand
French designers including Ms. Perriand established the ๐๐ฏ๐ช๐ฐ๐ฏ ๐ฅ๐ฆ๐ด ๐๐ณ๐ต๐ช๐ด๐ต๐ฆ๐ด ๐๐ฐ๐ฅ๐ฆ๐ณ๐ฏ๐ฆ๐ด (UAM) in 1929. They created interiors that embraced tactile, natural materials while reviving traditional techniques. (img 4)
โ Adrian Audoux & Frida Minet:
French designer-duo, extremely productive during the 40s & 50s whose design ethic was based upon new, accessible materials and technologies such as rattan, representing the realities of modern life. (img 5)
๐ญ๐ต๐ฒ๐ฌ๐ & ๐ญ๐ต๐ณ๐ฌ๐ โ ๐๐๐ฎ๐น๐ถ๐ฎ๐ป ๐บ๐ผ๐บ๐ฒ๐ป๐๐ ๐ฑ
โ Gio Ponti:
Experimented with undulating rattan forms in the 60s, such as his BP16 Chair by , celebrated for appearing as a โsingle continuous reed.โ (img 6 & 7)
โ Bonacina:
A historic workshop (founded 1889) that partnered with masters such as Franco Albini & Gio Ponti. Albiniโs Margherita (1951) and other MCM rattan icons cemented the house as a Mediterranean reference for rattan modernism. (img 8 & 9)
โ Tito Agnoli:
Known for designing bamboo/ rattan seating and airy lounge pieces from the 60s such as the P3 collection. (img 10)
๐๐ผ๐ป๐๐ฒ๐บ๐ฝ๐ผ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ ๐บ๐ฎ๐ธ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ & ๐ฐ๐ผ๐น๐น๐ฒ๐ฐ๐๐ถ๐ฏ๐น๐ฒ ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐๐ถ๐ด๐ป ๐ช
โง Contemporary Reissues:
Contemporary brands like have reissued heritage designs (like Gabriella Crespi - img 11 & 12) making select vintage designs newly available & continuing the legacy of rattan with new collections like Francis Sultanaโs 2023 designs for Bonacina (img 13).
โง Latin American heritage:
MCM Brazilian designers (ie. Joaquim Tenreiro, Sรฉrgio Rodrigues, Josรฉ Zanine Caldas) often integrated cane & rattan into their furniture designs
โง Contemporary rattan:
Designers such as , Neca Abrantes and are reinventing these traditions paying homage to local handcrafts & materials while exploring new forms.
