The Leggera chair

646 Leggera by Gio Ponti - Cassina I Contemporanei Collection

stored in the company Archive since the 1950s, make a comeback

1949-1965: Cassina and Ponti, a rich heritage of projects developed together. Sixty years ago the 699 Superleggera chair by Gio Ponti and Cassina was born. A milestone, the perfect result of solidity and balance, according to the architect, one of his three masterpieces (along with the Pirelli Tower in Milan and the Concattedrale in Taranto).

Ponti spent much of his time in Cassina and with Cesare Cassina, with whom he shared the aesthetic interest in ideas and forms. They consulted with the craftsmen in the carpentry workshop to create a real family of products to put in the company catalogue. Over time these models, conserved in the Cassina Archives, have become emblematic elements that still today identify Cassina in Italy and the world.

New life to the model that started it all. A wooden chair for all occasions. The 646 Leggera chair marked the beginning of this design and operational partnership. Recognisable for its extreme strength and simplicity it also became an icon of the 1950s design thanks to its commercial popularity.

A chair perfect for all settings. Compared to the 699 Superleggera with its slender triangular-section legs, the 646 Leggera has almost circular-section legs. The 646 Leggera is now more contemporary than ever also thanks to the many ways to match the structure's colours with the different seat upholstery, making it adapt both for the home and contract projects.

Testimony of project development and Cassina’s craftsmanship and industrial know-how. The structure of the 646 Leggera chair is made entirely of solid ash at the Cassina carpentry workshop with the project development that best highlights the company’s craftsmanship and industrial skills. The model is a perfect representation of the MedaMade brand, guarantee of the quality and uniqueness of Cassina’s production, strictly carried out in this city of the Brianza area of the north of Italy.

Measurements: 45x47xh.85/46cm Materials: Structure made out of natural solid ash or stained natural, black, white, walnut, taupe, petroleum green, or purple red, seat in natural, black or white paper cord, or padded with a rubber and velvet insert with removable fabric or leather upholstery applied with Velcro.