ENRICO TAGLIETTI - POLYHEDRICA CHAIRS
From left: Geoff Farquhar-Still, Enrico Taglietti and Thor Diesendorf
In 2014, on the 60th anniversary of his original 1954 Poliedrica Chair design, renowned Canberra architect Enrico Taglietti engaged Thor Diesendorf to help develop a new interpretation using modern materials and construction methods. The design developed into a two piece chair with an emphasis on use of timber, while keeping the chair both light and strong. The new 2104 chair was renamed Polyhedrica. Its angular, faceted design reflects Taglietti’s architectural language of massed geometric forms that is characteristic of his buildings and projects in Canberra.
Polyhedrica 2014 was hand crafted in the Thor’s Hammer workshop using Spotted Gum plywood and recycled Red Mahogany, with the stainless steel base crafted by local sculptor Geoff Farquhar-Still. Behind the clean lines of the Polyhedrica chair lie complex geometrical relationships between the angular forms of the chair and the base, which required some really careful detailing and craftspersonship to realise successfully.
An original prototype chair from 1954, and one of the five new 2014 Polyhedrica were both acquired by the Australian National Gallery and were displayed in 2016.
Display of Enrico Taglietti chairs at the National Gallery of Australia in 2014
Born Milan Italy 1926, Dr Enrico Taglietti is recognised as a leading practitioner of the late twentieth century organic style of architecture. His unique sculptural and geometric style draws upon Italian free form construction and post-war Japanese architecture. He has designed many houses, schools, churches and commercial buildings in Canberra, Sydney and Melbourne and his projects have won numerous RAIA awards. In March 2007 Enrico was awarded Australia’s most prestigious architecture prize—the Royal Australian Institute of Architects (RAIA) Gold Medal for Architecture.
Shortly after graduating from Milan Polytechnic in architecture in 1954, Enrico Taglietti designed a chair, table and bed for a home in Milan, which were featured in the architectural journal Domus. This chair was the original Poliedrica. It went on to be included in the 1954 Milan Triennale furniture exhibition, and the rights to manufacture were acquired by Altamira, an American company based in New York.
‘Design is not a skill, it is a way of life’ – Enrico Taglietti
Enrico Taglietti continued to work on architectural design projects, completing work on the Pakistani Embassy and further furniture designs until his passing in 2019.
SAMPLE CHAIR SPECIFICATIONS
MATERIALS: Spotted Gum plywood, stainless steel, fabric (Warwick Lake Flower Night)
FINISH: Osmo Polyx Oil Satin
SIZE: 850 x 625 x 1000mm high