Lot 256: Santiago Calatrava

Tabourettli Theatre chairs, set of four
De Sede Switzerland, 1986

17.75 w x 19 d x 29 h inches

enameled steel, upholstery

Calatrava redesigned the Tabourettli Theatre in Basel, Switzerland in 1986. The theatre is widely documented and presents an early commission by the architect in which he designed all aspects of the Medieval building's interior renovation. Although not well known for furniture design, Calatrava designed these chairs to mirror the structure of the ceiling, stairway and light fixtures, bringing a cohesion to the project. His virtuosity as a structural designer is clear in the form of the chair's base, where one piece of steel is bent and folded to create a solid structure. A first at auction, these chairs offer an opportunity to own a design by one of the world's leading architects.