{"title":"Piero Gilardi","description":"\u003ch2 style=\"font-size: 20px\"\u003eThe Birth of Soft Sculpture Design\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn 1965, Gilardi began working with \n\u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca title=\"Gufram\" href=\"\/collections\/gufram\"\u003eGufram\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e, where he would conceive a series of iconic furnishings in expanded polyurethane. Among his most celebrated creations is the \n\u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca title=\"Sassi pouf\" href=\"\/products\/gufram-sassi-pouf-and-ornamental-elements-in-polyurethane\"\u003eSassi pouf\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e, a nature-inspired seat that mimics the texture and shape of river stones. This work, together with other \n\u003cstrong\u003eGufram Sassi design stones\u003c\/strong\u003e, bridges art and domestic life by transforming sculptural elements into functional decor. The \n\u003cstrong\u003eSassi pouf by Gilardi\u003c\/strong\u003e became a manifesto of radical experimentation, offering a playful yet refined response to the rigidity of traditional interior design.\n\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"font-size: 20px\"\u003eSculpture Meets Functionality\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGilardi’s collaboration with \n\u003cstrong\u003eGufram\u003c\/strong\u003e also led to the creation of the \n\u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca title=\"Massolo small table\" href=\"\/products\/gufram-massolo-small-table-in-polyurethane\"\u003eMassolo small table\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e, a piece that appears to be carved from stone but is actually crafted in soft polyurethane. These works pushed the boundaries of \n\u003cstrong\u003epolyurethane furniture\u003c\/strong\u003e, elevating the material from industrial utility to a medium for poetic expression. Seen in museums and private collections around the world, they continue to attract design lovers looking to \n\u003cstrong\u003ebuy Gufram Sassi stones\u003c\/strong\u003e and other pieces that challenge the norms of decor and functionality.\n\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"font-size: 20px\"\u003eAn International Voice of Artistic Ecology\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFrom 1968 onward, Gilardi expanded his focus to align with movements such as \n\u003cem\u003eArte Povera\u003c\/em\u003e, Land Art, and Anti-form. His \n\u003cstrong\u003enature-inspired designs\u003c\/strong\u003e, including \u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca title=\"creative armchairs\" href=\"\/collections\/armchairs-and-sofa\"\u003ecreative armchairs\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e and \u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca title=\"innovative designer furniture\" href=\"\/collections\/furniture\"\u003einnovative designer furniture\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e, grew increasingly political, addressing environmental themes and social interaction. These values shaped his aesthetic and intellectual contributions, making him not only a designer of objects, but also a thinker of form and community. His biography is closely tied to the evolution of European experimental art, with exhibitions across Paris, Cologne, New York, and Amsterdam.\n\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2 style=\"font-size: 20px\"\u003eLegacy in Radical Italian Design\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eToday, \n\u003cstrong\u003ePiero Gilardi’s works\u003c\/strong\u003e are widely considered among the most \n\u003cstrong\u003eiconic pieces\u003c\/strong\u003e of the radical Italian design movement. Collectors and critics continue to study and appreciate the \n\u003cstrong\u003eGufram Sassi by Gilardi\u003c\/strong\u003e as symbols of a moment in history where aesthetics, nature, and critique converged. His creations, including \u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca title=\"designer seating\" href=\"\/collections\/chairs-and-armchairs\"\u003edesigner seating\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e, \u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca title=\"poufs\" href=\"\/collections\/pouf-and-cushions\"\u003epoufs\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e, and \n\u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca title=\"low tables\" href=\"\/collections\/coffee-tables\"\u003elow tables\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e, are part of a broader legacy that emphasizes emotional connection and ecological awareness. Whether you're exploring the \n\u003cstrong\u003ePiero Gilardi biography\u003c\/strong\u003e or seeking to understand his impact on design history, his objects speak volumes through shape, softness, and symbolism.\n\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"gufram-sassi-pouf-and-ornamental-elements-in-polyurethane","title":"Gufram Sassi pouf and ornamental elements in polyurethane","description":"The \u003cstrong\u003eGufram Sassi\u003c\/strong\u003e, designed in 1968 by \u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca title=\"Piero Gilardi\" href=\"\/collections\/designer-piero-gilardi\"\u003ePiero Gilardi\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e, is a radical reinterpretation of one of nature’s most timeless forms: the stone. Conceived during the height of the Italian Radical Design movement, these extraordinary \u003cstrong\u003edesigner poufs\u003c\/strong\u003e and ornamental elements challenge the boundary between natural reality and artificial construction. First presented at the Milan Triennale in the same year, Sassi immediately attracted attention as a conceptual provocation. What at first glance appears to be a set of heavy, immovable boulders turns out to be soft, lightweight, and playful: an embodiment of \u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca title=\"Gufram\" href=\"\/collections\/gufram\"\u003eGufram\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e’s idea; where nothing is as it seems and everyday expectations are subverted through design.\n\n\u003ch2 style=\"font-size: 20px\"\u003eMaterial and Illusion\u003c\/h2\u003e\nAlthough they look like authentic stones shaped by centuries of natural erosion, the \u003cstrong\u003eSassi poufs\u003c\/strong\u003e are made entirely of lightweight \u003cstrong\u003epolyurethane\u003c\/strong\u003e. Each piece is carefully hand-finished by artisans, with meticulous painting techniques that reproduce the texture, shading, and mineral variations of real rock. The irony lies in their tactile experience: what seems hard is surprisingly soft, inviting users to sit, lean, or arrange them as sculptural elements within a space. This radical juxtaposition of illusion and reality captures the ingenuity of Italian design at the end of the 1960s, when designers sought to question tradition and propose bold new visions for domestic living.\n\n\u003ch2 style=\"font-size: 20px\"\u003eFrom Triennale to Today\u003c\/h2\u003e\nOver fifty years after their debut, the \u003cstrong\u003estone-shaped poufs\u003c\/strong\u003e continue to fascinate collectors, architects, and interior designers worldwide. They function both as unconventional seating and as decorative elements, adapting to private homes, showrooms, or hospitality projects. Their flexibility allows them to be used singly as sculptural accents or grouped together to create an indoor landscape of surreal boulders. The \u003cstrong\u003eGufram Sassi\u003c\/strong\u003e can also be paired with other radical works by \u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca title=\"Piero Gilardi x Gufram\" href=\"\/collections\/gufram-piero-gilardi\"\u003ePiero Gilardi x Gufram\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e, the irreverent icons of \u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca title=\"Studio 65 and Gufram\" href=\"\/collections\/gufram-studio-65\"\u003eStudio 65 and Gufram\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e, or eclectic brands such as \u003cstrong\u003eIbride Furniture\u003c\/strong\u003e, enriching interiors with layered narratives that mix humor, irony, and natural inspiration.\n\n\u003ch2 style=\"font-size: 20px\"\u003eA Radical Design Legacy\u003c\/h2\u003e\nTo own the \u003cstrong\u003eGufram Sassi\u003c\/strong\u003e is to embrace a masterpiece of Radical Italian Design. More than ornamental furniture or simple \u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca title=\"Gufram interior decor\" href=\"\/collections\/gufram-interior-decor\"\u003eGufram interior decor\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e, they are sculptural objects that carry the memory of nature into the modern home, reinterpreted through the lens of avant-garde experimentation. Their enduring charm lies in their paradox: they appear immovable yet are light, they look timeless yet feel contemporary, they seem like artifacts of geology yet are products of imagination. The \u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca title=\"soft seats by Gufram\" href=\"\/collections\/gufram-seating\"\u003esoft seats by Gufram\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e are therefore not only a playful furnishing solution but also a cultural statement, an invitation to rethink the way design interacts with both environment and perception.","brand":"GUFRAM","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52708115251530,"sku":"gufr-sassi-set-pouf-G07110","price":3392.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0550\/0793\/6771\/files\/gufram-sassi-set-pouf-seating-607110-1.webp?v=1784646750"},{"product_id":"gufram-massolo-small-table-in-polyurethane","title":"Gufram Massolo small table in polyurethane","description":"At first glance, the \u003cstrong\u003eGufram Massolo\u003c\/strong\u003e appears to be an imposing block of porphyry stone, heavy and immovable. In reality, it is a witty and poetic \u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca title=\"Gufram designer small table\" href=\"\/collections\/gufram-low-tables\"\u003eGufram designer small table\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e created in 1974 by \u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca title=\"Piero Gilardi\" href=\"\/collections\/designer-piero-gilardi\"\u003ePiero Gilardi\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e, one of the pioneers of radical Italian design. The table embodies \u003cstrong\u003eGufram\u003c\/strong\u003e’s philosophy of “true-false”: an object that pretends to be something it is not, surprising and amusing those who encounter it. This playful paradox transforms \u003cstrong\u003eMassolo\u003c\/strong\u003e into a radical icon that questions perception and challenges the very idea of furniture.\n\n\u003ch2 style=\"font-size: 20px\"\u003eCraftsmanship and Materials\u003c\/h2\u003e\nDespite its stone-like appearance, \u003cstrong\u003eMassolo\u003c\/strong\u003e is made entirely of lightweight \u003cstrong\u003epolyurethane\u003c\/strong\u003e. Its surface is carefully embossed, layered, and painted by hand to reproduce the granular texture and sheen of real stone. The process is completed with Gufram’s signature \u003cstrong\u003eGuflac®\u003c\/strong\u003e finish, which ensures durability while enhancing the visual effect. The word “PORFIDO” appears boldly on its surface, adding a provocative twist: a label that highlights the illusion while simultaneously mocking it. The result is an extraordinary piece that is both sculptural and functional, a table that plays with expectations.\n\n\u003ch2 style=\"font-size: 20px\"\u003eA Radical Dialogue with Design\u003c\/h2\u003e\nThe \u003cstrong\u003ePiero Gilardi Massolo\u003c\/strong\u003e can be combined with other radical works by \u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca title=\"Studio 65 x Gufram\" href=\"\/collections\/gufram-studio-65\"\u003eStudio 65 x Gufram\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e, or placed alongside the \u003cstrong\u003eSassi poufs\u003c\/strong\u003e by the same \u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca title=\"Piero Gilardi x Gufram\" href=\"\/collections\/gufram-piero-gilardi\"\u003ePiero Gilardi x Gufram\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e collaboration to create a theatrical landscape of nature reinterpreted. It also works beautifully in eclectic interiors paired with the \u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca title=\"Cactus designer coat rack\" href=\"\/collections\/gufram-coat-racks\"\u003eCactus designer coat rack\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e, where the tension between natural and artificial becomes a key narrative element.\n\n\u003ch2 style=\"font-size: 20px\"\u003eA Collector’s Piece of Postmodern History\u003c\/h2\u003e\nTo own the \u003cstrong\u003eGufram Massolo\u003c\/strong\u003e is to embrace an object that embodies the irony, poetry, and experimentation of Italian Radical Design. More than just a \u003cstrong\u003erock effect coffee table\u003c\/strong\u003e, it is a design manifesto that continues to fascinate collectors, architects, and interior designers worldwide. Its enduring charm lies in its capacity to deceive, delight, and invite reflection on what is real and what is imagined within contemporary living spaces.","brand":"GUFRAM","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52708119281994,"sku":"gufr-massolo-tavolino-G02100","price":4545.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0550\/0793\/6771\/files\/gufram-massolo-low-table-G02100-1.webp?v=1784646747"}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0550\/0793\/6771\/collections\/designer-piero-gilardi.webp?v=1756886167","url":"https:\/\/hiolaena.com\/collections\/designer-piero-gilardi.oembed","provider":"ShopDecor","version":"1.0","type":"link"}