Icons of Italian design. After fifty years, what is left to write about one of the icons of Italian design that, still today, communicates the absolute strength of ideas – that is, when such strength really exists? Nowhere, in the written history of design, is this object not positioned among the top ten icons that changed the perspective of our beloved field forever and for everyone.

Perhaps we can add that – beyond the desecrating gesture of filling a sack (Sacco) with polystyrene balls in order to transform it into the most informal, most versatile, most irreverent, most freeing, most soft, most ergonomic and ‘most’ everything chair – there is no defined shape. It is for this very reason that it has survived, untouched by time, through seasons, fashions and every ‘ism’ imaginable, preserving the greatest value of all: being a concept that well beyond the seasons, arriving undamaged to the present day, is ready to be adapted into versions for children and teenagers, because to encourage smiles and fun even while sitting in an ‘armchair’ is not a luxury reserved for adults.

Sacco is awarded with the Compasso d’Oro ADI for its lifetime achievement: the award ceremony was held on September 9th in Milan at the new ADI Design Museum (via Ceresio 7) together with the inauguration of the exhibition that gathers all the projects selected for the 2020 edition. The idea of its designers was to realize a “universal” seat that would easily adapt to any body, in any position. Sacco is no doubt one of the most brilliant objects that have marked the Italian Design.

Sacco is a soft and helpful object: you may sit, lie down on it, crouch or as you may wish. It may serve as support to lay various things on, just like a service table; when stretched it nearly looks like a rug. However it is not forbidden to find other applications. Kids do not use it: they play with it (sometimes like adults do). Sacco is a real “tamed” object. Be careful! It has a disadvantage: if you get used to it, you will become more demanding with other objects you are going to use. The armchair Sacco by Gatti, Paolini and Teodoro is one of the most meaningful example of design product able to embody an “era”, while “contaminating” the living conventions that apparently look very formal.

Anatomical easy-chairs. Envelope containing highly resistant expanded polystyrene pellets. Cover in: Vip (also for outdoor, fire resistant, antibacterial with Silverguard® and stain-proof with Permablock3® treatment), Tulip, Pied de poule and leather. The versions in Tulip and Pied de poule are removable.