Tre Pezzi by Franco Albini

The iconic «Tre Pezzi» armchairs were designed in 1952 by Franco Albini together with his friend, architect and designer Franca Helg, for the Italian factory Peggi. Large, soft and skinny, they combine together the simplicity of shape with a sense of absolute comfort.

«Tre Pezzi» is a modern interpretation of the classic Bergere armchair. When creating these chairs, Albini was inspired by scaffoldings, and large structures that sustainably support the constructions of industrial buildings. He also has used these ideas in 1964 when designing the first line of the Milan Metropolitan. Surprisingly, many of the details of the Milan Metro do indeed resemble the gentle curves of the famous «Тre Pezzi» chair.

The armrests of the chair, which, similarly to the entire armchair frame, are made of tubular metal, were inspired by the handrails of the Milan Metro. And the deep seat, complemented by a semi-circular back and a crescent-shaped headrest, create a feeling of complete comfort that one would like to experience again and again.

In 2009, the Italian furniture factory Cassina bought the exclusive rights to this model, and began to re-release the famous Albini armchairs under the name Metropolitana as part of its “I Maestri” collection. Despite this, half a century after their creation, Tre Pezzi remain particularly relevant and in very high demand on the collectible design market. For instance, this week at the Christie’s New York auction, a pair of the original 1959 “Tre Pezzi” chairs was sold for $ 40,000, further confirming its status of iconic midcentury design pieces.

We always draw the attention of our clients to the fact that collectible design items are not merely a historical addition to their interior, but also constitute a relatively profitable investment. Despite the fact that many items are reissued by modern furniture factories, their price is growing every year.
At the moment, a pair of original “Tre Pezzi” chair is presented in our Moscow gallery. Make sure to check our website and we will be happy to reply to any of your requests by mail or on our Instagram page.