The iconic Paulistano chair, designed in 1957 by Pritzker Price-winning architect Paulo Mendes da Rocha, is at once playful, elegant, and supremely comfortable (we should know; two of us at Remodelista own them). Designed for São Paulo's Paulistano Athletic Club, the chair is inspired by the hammocks used by Brazil's indigenous people.
In recent years, the Paulistano has been a Design Within Reach staple, fashioned from a single length of solid stainless steel with a leather sling seat. And now French firm Objekto has commissioned the still active Mendes da Rocha to come up with an outdoor version of the chair. Made of carbon steel, it's available from Espasso, a New York and LA gallery of Brazilian design.
Above: The new outdoor version of the Paulistano comes with a black or white frame and a waterproof, rot-proof seat of French Toiles de Vosges cotton canvas in 8 colors, including turquoise, taupe, paprika, olive green, and white. It costs $1,950 from Espasso (by comparison, the original with a leather seat is $1,550 at Design Within Reach).
N.B.: If you're a fan of iconic modernist design, don't miss the 120 images of Midcentury Standouts in our Gallery of Rooms and Spaces.
