By Gabriele
You will surely remember the in-depth article we dedicated to Gio Ponti’s 699 Superleggera not long ago.
Although not as famous and acclaimed as its “sister,” the 646 Leggera equally deserves – in our opinion – the status of Design Icon.
In the late 1940s, Ponti, always fascinated by the theme of naval furniture, was working on the renovation of the interiors of four ocean liners.
It is in this context that the crucial meeting with Cassina took place. Equipped with exceptional craftsmen and carpenters, this Brianza-based company created a highly effective design and execution synergy with Ponti.
The fruits of this long and intense partnership have become milestones in the history of industrial design, such as the famous 699 Superleggera (which you all know!)
However, many are unaware of the existence of the important predecessor to the 699: the 646 Leggera, designed in 1952 for Cassina.
“At the end of the Second World War, I fought to establish a lighter, more transparent style, connected to a simpler way of living.”
This was Gio Ponti’s mantra after the difficult war years; his research was entirely focused on simplicity and lightness.
Using the traditional Chiavari chair as a reference model, the designer created various prototypes over the years before arriving at the perfect chair.
The 646 Leggera is the happy outcome of these experiments: a discreet, essential, and modern chair.
It is special, different from contemporary chairs: it is extremely light and the first chair with pointed supports and a slightly bent backrest. The slender, clean lines give it a sober yet refined appearance.
Not a single nail is present in the entire structure; the chair is assembled only with joints and glue with meticulous precision.
What differentiates it from the Superleggera are the supports and the dimensions:
the Leggera still has circular supports (the Superleggera has triangular ones) and is a few centimeters larger.
Its strong points? Thanks to its slightly more generous dimensions, the Leggera is decidedly comfortable and structurally solid.
It is also worth noting that the Superleggera has never gone out of production since its launch, while the Leggera returned to production (after several decades) only in 2017.
This makes the 646 more rare and difficult to find.
Currently, Cassina also produces the Leggera in a version with armrests.
Overshadowed by the incredible success of its more famous sibling, the 646 Leggera was for many years underestimated and regarded merely as a “prototype” of the Superleggera.
The truth is that it is an incredible design product that shines with its own light, an absolutely cutting-edge object.
By the way, we are already working on next week: if you have any suggestions, advice, or ideas… give us a shout!
