Cassina

Cassina: Production & Collections

Cassina was founded in 1927 by brothers Cesare and Umberto Cassina in Meda, Italy, under the name Amadeo Cassina. Until the war Cassina primarily produced wooden tables and subsequently also Sofas and armchairs, all made by hand.

Cassina Capitol Complex Armchair, a tribute to Pierre Jeanneret

► CASSINA'S COLLABORATIONS WITH DESIGNERS
► CASSINA: PRODUCTION LOCATION AND PORTFOLIO FOCUS
► CASSINA COLLECTIONS: I MAESTRI AND CASSINA I CONTEMPORANEI
► REPRESENTATIVE FURNITURE DESIGN IN THE LUXURY SEGMENT: WHO IS CASSINA FURNITURE APPROPRIATE FOR?
► I CONTEMPORANEI: CONTEMPORARY CASSINA DESIGNS
► CASSINA AND SUSTAINABILITY
► CASSINA COLLECTIONS AND CONSULTING AT SMOW

Cassina's collaborations with designers

During the 1950s Cassina switched to industrial production and the company began commissioning designers to create larger series. For example, Gio Ponti equipped the first class compartments of the legendary cruise ship Andrea Doria with Cassina designs, helping the company establish a floating showroom, while his Superleggera chair, now one of the absolute icons of Italian design, was promoted by Cassina with the story that it was thrown out of the second floor window of the company's headquarters, arrived at the bottom unscratched and even bounced back. The early, close collaboration with designers and architects in conjunction with manual carpentry work and technologically advanced machines is the reason for Cassina's unbroken success to this day.

Cassina Leggera by Gio Ponti

Cassina: Production location and portfolio focus

Craftsmanship at the company headquarters in Meda: For over 90 years high-quality Cassina furniture designs and design classics have been realised at the company's headquarters in Meda. The workshop, originally founded by the brothers Cesare and Umberto Cassina as “Cassina Amadeo — Fabbrica Tavolini” (factory for small tables), was expanded during the 1930s, including the installation of new machines. To this day traditional craftsmanship and modern technologies come together in Meda in the production of all Cassina furniture.

Cassina Upholstered furniture

An important part of the Cassina portfolio is upholstered furniture: from elegant individual pieces such as the Utrecht sofa by Gerrit Rietveld to extensive sofa landscapes such as Miloe by Piero Lissoni, which can be configured individually, Cassina sofas and armchairs stand for excellent design and masterful manufacturing. In addition the portfolio features numerous Cassina chairs, Cassina tables, Cassina storage furniture, Cassina beds, Cassina home accessories, Cassina lamps and a range of Cassina outdoor furniture.

Although natural materials such as wood and leather have a high degree of individuality, thorough material testing guarantees a uniform standard that ensures the processing of only the finest high-quality materials. Cassina upholstered furniture is still produced directly at the company headquarters in Meda - the carpentry shop is only a few minutes away by car. All individual parts are manufactured in series using the latest technology and are assembled and checked by hand by an employee.

The Maralunga sofa by Vico Magistretti embodies a successful combination of design, entrepreneurial intuition and Italian craftsmanship. As an international bestseller it is characterized by timeless aesthetics and functionality. The Met sofa from Cassina represents another design icon of the 90s: with its formal, pure and geometric aesthetic, it remarkably combines simple comfort, versatility and impeccable elegance. This designer sofa is not only a timeless piece of furniture, but also a successful combination of form and function. The clear lines of the sofa create a harmonious balance that appears both modern and timeless and therefore works well in a wide variety of living spaces. The Met sofa is an expression of timeless elegance and remains an impressive example of the sophisticated design language of the 90s.

Cassina collections: I Maestri and Cassina I Contemporanei

Today Cassina's portfolio is divided into two large collections: the Cassina design classics as I Maestri and newer and contemporary Cassina furniture designs as I Contemporanei.

Cassina I Maestri: Cassina design classics

The Cassina I Maestri line has included key works and re-editions by important architects and designers of design history since 1965, including works by Charlotte Perriand, Pierre Jeanneret and Le Corbusier, Gerrit Rietveld, Charles Rennie Mackintosh and many others.

The LC furniture collection by Le Corbusier, Pierre Jeanneret and Charlotte Perriand

At the end of the 1920s the avant-gardists Le Corbusier, Pierre Jeanneret and Charlotte Perriand had a decisive influence on modern furniture design with their characteristic sofas and armchairs LC1, LC2 and LC3, the chaise longue LC4, the tables LC10 and LC6 and other designs. They countered the ornamental aesthetics of Art Deco with functionalist reduction and minimalist forms and thus initiated a change in the design concept of the 20th century. Cassina planned the realization of the LC furniture in collaboration with Le Corbusier and began production in the 1960s. Cassina has been the only licensed manufacturer of LC furniture since 1978. Today, the furniture from the LC collection shapes the image of the furniture manufacturer Cassina as a traditional company with innovative ideas.

Cassina LC4 by Le Corbusier, Pierre Jeanneret and Charlotte Perriand

Representative furniture design in the luxury segment: Who is Cassina furniture appropriate for?

Thanks to the iconic design, the timeless, radical aesthetic and high-quality materials such as leather and steel, the Cassina LC furniture collection is an international success in the luxury segment.

The Cassina sofas LC2 and LC3, for example, alone or in conjunction with the Cassina armchairs LC2 and LC3, have an elegant, representative quality and are thus often used in upscale executive offices, institutions and lobbies: the LC2 armchairs, for example, are the ideal furniture for a small meeting situation in the executive office.

The chaise longue LC4, one of the most famous LC furniture designs, is a symbol of modern society with its machine-like appearance and is particularly effective in large rooms with lots of light and views. It is used particularly in the private sector and embodies status and aesthetic know-how in its sculptural appearance.

Zig-Zag chair and armchair Red and Blue

Two other iconic Cassina designs are the Zig Zag chair from 1934 and the Cassina Red and Blue armchair from 1918 by Gerrit Rietveld, works well known in context of art and design history. But instead of only looking at the two design classics in the collections of MoMA or the Vitra Design Museum, they can be purchased directly from smow. Cassina has exclusive manufacturing licenses for the Zig Zag chair and the Red and Blue armchair and stillproduces the seating furniture true to the original designs.

I Contemporanei: Contemporary Cassina Designs

Cassina's I Contemporanei collection brings together works by designers who, from the 1950s onwards, transferred the legacy of classical modernism into a contemporary context, as well as contemporary furniture designs and accessories. Design classics from the second half of the 20th century such as the Maralunga sofa, an international bestseller authored by Vigo Magistretti and produced by Cassina since 1973.

While with designers such as Philippe Starck, Jaime Hayon, Edward Barber and Jay Osgerby, Zaha Hadid, Meret Oppenheim, or Patricia Urquiola, who has been art director at Cassina since 2015, the furniture company brings together the who's who of the international design scene.

100 years - leading a legacy into the future

For a company with such a historic, significant and valuable heritage, it is a great challenge to preserve that while not losing sight of the present and looking to the future. In the words of Cassina CEO Gianluca Armento, it is about “looking back to move forward”. It is precisely this combination of know-how, tradition, experiments and innovative new ideas that have already been embodied in designs such as the Ciprea plastic armchair by Tobia Scarpa from 1968 or Philippe Starck's multifunctional lazy working sofa from the 1990s.

Patricia Urquiola - Creative Director at Cassina

Patricia Urquiola, as Creative Director at Cassina, brings an avant-garde and innovative approach to her work. Her perfectionism is particularly evident in the design of classic, modular seating landscapes. Presented under the umbrella Cassina Perspectives the new Cassina collection focuses on sustainability and well-being, on new solutions for living and dining rooms which underscore Cassina' holistic approach. In the I Maestri line, Cassina is presenting re-editions by the Italian architect and designer Ico Parisi from the first half of the 20th century for the first time. In addition, a completely new collection for the bedroom was introduced with Cassina Perspectives at Night, and which includes furniture designs by Patricia Urquiola and Rodolfo Dordoni.

Cassina and Sustainability

As an internationally respected furniture manufacturer Cassina is consistently committed to the principle of sustainability. With an integrated sustainability concept the company actively promotes responsible use of resources and people in various areas: Cassina not only strives to implement sustainability standards for its own company, but also to bring about change and new opportunities in the entire furniture industry. Cassina has always relied on environmentally friendly materials and production processes to minimize its ecological footprint. Long-lasting designs that are timeless and of high quality make a decisive contribution to reducing consumption and the throwaway culture. Cassina also actively invests in innovative technologies to promote energy efficiency. Their commitment to greater sustainability is documented in a publicly viewable annual sustainability report. This report contains, for example, information on energy savings, all certificates and the proportion of women in the company, which is currently 49 percent. In addition, Cassina discloses what efforts are being made in terms of sustainable logistics, waste management and water management.

Cassina collections and Consulting at smow

Cassina in your local smow Store

Are you looking for representative furniture that expresses and embodies the highest quality and reliable quality? Cassina furniture is the perfect choice for upscale offices, lobbies and lounges in law firms, real estate companies, doctor's offices or art institutions, as well as for furnishing spacious private living spaces.

At smow we offer Cassina furniture classics in our online shop. Alternatively you can experience the Cassina collectionsin our smow stores, try them out and compare materials. Our experienced staff will be happy to not only advise you but to assist you in planning your individual interior. Visit us and let yourself be inspired, we look forward to welcoming you!