The famous Italian architect and designer Gianfranco Frattini used his travel experiences in Japan to create the Kyoto table for Poltrona Frau in the 1970s. Conceived as “the perfect blend of design vision and craftsmanship,” the model was re-released in 2020.
The Italian architect Gianfranco Frattini (05/15/1926 – 04/06/2004) liked to repeat that when creating furniture, moments are important for him: the texture of the material and the creation of a new typology of the object.
On a trip to Japan almost 50 years ago, Gianfranco Frattini visited the artisan workshops of Kyoto to study the work of local craftsmen with his friend and associate, the experienced carpenter Pierluigi Gyanda. Inspired by the woodworking technique and the aesthetics of the area, the designer came up with the idea of a hinge that formed the basis of the Kyoto table, which began production in 1974.
The peculiarity of Kyoto is that its structure is not hidden – it becomes the object itself. There are no decorative elements: even the spectacular Canaletto walnut inserts were added for a reason – they are designed to add strength to the table.
The Kyoto table, which is part of the permanent collection of the Triennale in Milan, has been reissued by Poltrona Frau with full respect for the original design.