on the rocks: bottega veneta honors le corbusier for milan design week

bottega veneta spotlights a timeless piece in milan

This year at Milan Design Week, Bottega Veneta joins forces with Cassina and Fondation Le Corbusier to present a large-scale installation titled ‘On the Rocks.’ A visit to the Palazzo San Fedele in Milan reveals the exhibit’s centerpiece: the LC14 Tabouret Cabanon, a timeless table design by Le Corbusier that shows the exceptional craftsmanship of the Cassina carpentry workshop. designboom visited the installation in Milan ahead of its opening to explore Le Corbusier’s boxy furniture pieces, which have been reimagined with custom leatherwork by Matthieu Blazy and Bottega Veneta.

Matthieu Blazy and Bottega Veneta partnered with Cassina and Fondation Le Corbusier | image © Bottega Veneta

the origin of Le Corbusier’s tabouret

While the LC14 Tabouret is celebrated in this ‘On the Rocks’ exhibition by Matthieu Blazy and Bottega Veneta during Milan Design Week, it was originally conceived by Le Corbusier for his personal cabin, or ‘cabanon,’ located in Roquebrune-Cap-Martin on the French Riviera. This minimalist retreat, measuring just 3.66 x 3.66 meters (12 x 12 feet), featured simple, box-shaped furniture. The versatile Tabouret itself drew inspiration from a wooden whiskey box Le Corbusier discovered washed ashore near his cabanon. The design is defined by its precise dovetail joints, expressing the connection between the solid wood surfaces. Meanwhile, oblong openings along each side enhance the piece’s portability and adaptability.

The installation’s title, ‘On the Rocks,’ pays homage to the Tabouret’s origin story, referencing both the coastal setting of Le Corbusier’s Cabanon and the whiskey box that sparked the design’s creation. The exhibition will also include a display of an original sample of this very box.

the LC14 Tabouret Cabanon, a boxy design by Le Corbusier made for his own cabin | image © Bottega Veneta

heritage craftsmanship revived by matthieu Blazy

‘On the Rocks’ showcases bespoke editions of the LC14 Tabouret, originally commissioned by Matthieu Blazy for the Bottega Veneta Winter 24 show set (see designboom’s coverage here). The exhibit also features a new, limited-edition iteration crafted in Bottega Veneta’s signature leatherwork. The wooden editions uses a special charred-wood technique, drawing on traditional Japanese methods to offer natural protection to the wood and highlight the wood grain’s unique patterns.

The leather editions are available in a range of colors: red, yellow, blue, and raintree green. Each piece is meticulously enveloped in Bottega Veneta’s renowned Intreccio foulard technique, meticulously hand-woven at the House’s artisanal atelier in Montebello, near Vicenza. A special brushwork technique is employed to cover the leather with colored paint, followed by a layer of black paint that is then partially removed. This process results in a one-of-a-kind, textured finish for each piece. Only 60 leather editions and 100 wooden editions will be available for purchase.

‘On the Rocks’ will be open to the public from April 16th to 20th. This exhibition offers visitors a unique opportunity to experience Palazzo San Fedele, which is slated to become the new Bottega Veneta headquarters starting in September 2024. This historic building, nestled in the heart of Milan, is envisioned as a hub for cultural events alongside housing the brand’s offices. The installation marks Matthieu Blazy’s second installation at Milan Design Week. It follows last year’s Bottega Veneta collaboration with the now-late designer Gaetano Pesce titled ‘Viene a Vedere’ (see designboom’s coverage here). The fashion house also has a history of collaboration with the Cassina carpentry workshop, having commissioned bespoke chairs for its Zurich store and the Winter 24 show set.