Console model “Quaderna”
From the “Quaderna” collection
Manufactured by Zanotta
Italy, 1970s
Wood, plastic
Measurements
87 x 180 x 42h cm
34,3 x 70,8 x 16,5h in
Literature
Domus 517, 12/1972, p. 37
R. Gargiani, B. Lampariello, Superstudio, Editori Laterza, Bari, 2010, 44
G. Gramigna, Repertorio 1950-1980, Mondadori, Milano, 1985, p. 348
G. Gramigna, Repertorio del design italiano 1950-2000 per l'arredamento domestico, Allemandi, Torino, 2003, vol. 1, p. 192
Biography
Superstudio was an influential collective of Italian architects and designers founded in 1966 in Florence by Adolfo Natalini and Cristiano Toraldo di Francia. Throughout its existence, Superstudio stood out for its radical and utopian approach to architecture and design, becoming a central figure in the radical architecture movement of the 1960s and 1970s.
The Collective, emerged during a time of social and political upheaval, reflecting dissatisfaction with contemporary architecture and urbanism. Their philosophy was based on questioning the conventions and limitations of traditional architecture, instead proposing utopian and critical visions that ranged from the possible to the purely theoretical.
Superstudio's legacy endures in the way they questioned and redefined the limits of architecture, inspiring subsequent movements such as postmodern design and deconstruction. Although the collective disbanded in 1978, their impact remains relevant in architectural discourse and in the education of new generations of architects. This group not only left an indelible mark on the history of architecture but also paved new paths for exploration and expression in the field of design, demonstrating that architecture can be both a critical practice and a tool for social and cultural change.