Chair inspired by robots

Luca Nichetto has appeared in design circles with his lighting solutions, chairs and glass designs. His newchair design for Offecct is inspired by a 1999 music video by Icelandic artist Björk and Chris Cunningham, in which robots become human and come to life.

- I thought the video’s concept of robots being constructed and given life was so exciting, and I couldn’t stop thinking that it should be possible to do something similar with furniture, Nichetto says. My fantasy became reality when I transformed the forms of the human robots into chairs, which were later named Robo.

The Robo chair has a completely new and unique look due to its separated seat and legs. The chair can be compared to a Meccano set that can easily be built on the spot. All the parts fit into a 50x50x20 cm box, which facilitates transport and also meets Offecct’s stringent environmental demands.

Luca Nichetto’s own background is as exciting as his design for Robo. He was born in 1976 on the island of Murano just north of Venice. His interest in design led Nichetto to studies at the IUAV in Venice, after which his first project was in Murano glass for Salviati. He has operated his own studio in Venice since 2006 and his clients include Offecct and Moroso. In 2009 he was chosen as Young Designer of The Year at the ELLE Decoration International Design Awards in Milan.