The armchair was designed by Gio Ponti for the Planchart collectors' villa in Caracas (1953-57). It is part of the Gio Ponti collection curated by Molteni&C under the artistic direction of Studio Cerri & Associati.
The architecture reflected ideas gathered during his trip to Latin America in 1952-53. Today, the armchair, which is like a cosy shell, has a rigid polyurethane frame, a soft polyurethane counter-frame and cushion, and is upholstered in Molteni&C fabric or leather, with the option to vary the three components. The legs are in chrome-plated metal.
In 2016, the chair won the prestigious Wallpaper Design Awards and has become a Molteni&C icon.
"I dedicated myself heart and soul to the design of Villa Planchart, where I could express my own approach to architecture, both inside and out."
Gio Ponti, 1955