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by Paolo Frello
Glassworking in Italy still adheres to a long tradition of artisanry. This highly variable material has continually spurred designers and architects on to develop shapes and forms both unusual and full of fantasy.
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| The material which perhaps allows designers the greatest freedom of expression
is glass, due to is versatility. A natural product, glass consists primarily
of the mineral silicon. The majority of glass objects produced today are
the result of centuries-old glass-blowing techniques and traditional craftsmanship. Glass in Architecture The use of glass in architecture has radically altered the course of modern architecture (beginning with the Modernism of the 20's and continuing through the present). Masters in the field such as Mies Van der Rohe and Gropius, Philip Johnson and I.M. Pei each polished their architectural eloquence through the expressive quality of this versatile material. |
 "Empilage" designed by Roberto Sambonet for Baccarat, 1971 |
Transparent Designs To a lesser degree, a similar chain of developments can be traced in design. The "Ghost" armchair, created by Cini Boeri for Fiamm in the 1980's, could be used to "date" the use of glass in furnishings. Surprisingly enough, this chair, constructed of a single sheet of chrystal, is both comfortable and stackable. Another designer worthy of mention is David Palterer, Israeli by birth but trained in Italy. Palterer has devoted most of his professional and creative energies to the production of glass objects, many of them truly masterpieces. The undisputed champion of the field remains Roberto Sambonet who made his mark with designs such as his "Vaso a Sfera" in 1955, the "TIR bar" glasses inspired by organ pipes produced by Baccarat and a set of stackable glasses "Empilage", both introduced in 1971. |
Italian glass Any mention of Italian glass immediately brings to mind the renowned glassmaking enterprises of Murano and the Fratelli Bormioli in Carcare in Liguria, but we mustn't forget others which have greatly contributed to the diversified use of glass. One such company, is the archtiectural firm Focchi in Rimini, which is one of the few companies world-wide to realize the construction of several uniquely sculpted skyscrapers by the gentle and gradual curvature of each individual sheet of glass used. |
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"Ghost" armchair, Cini Boeri for Fiamm, 1987 |
| "Opulenza" vase, from the Riflessioni collection, by David Palterer for Edizione Galleria Colombari, Milano |
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"TIR" bar glasses in crystal (1971), designed by Roberto Sambonet for Baccarat |
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