Modular living systems from Driade

The Italian company Driade was founded in 1968 in Piacenta and produces designer furniture. Driade attracted international attention from the very beginning.

Today, DRIADE 1, the modular living system based on geometric shapes, designed by designer Antonia Astori is regarded as the mother of monoblock-furniture.

The usually coated or varnished coloured slabs with vertical steel pipes serve as containers in a room, and are usually equipped with glass doors. They divide the room into smaller rooms, without further excluding, other design elements.

Antonia Astori was born in Milan in 1940 and founded the company DRIADE, together with her brother Enrico and his wife Adelaide Acerbi. Driade is specialised on furniture for the office and living area.

The product range offers chairs and tables, armchairs and sofas in new Italian designs, such as: the chair MELAINA by Rodolfo Bonetto from the year 1970, SOF SOF 1972 and DELFINA 1974 by Enzo Mari, ALESSIA by Giotto Stoppino 1970, WRIGHT WRIGHT created in 1970 by Nanda Vigo, ANEBO TAK, JANSKY, PROROK by Borek Sipek. COSTES and VON VOGELSANG are chairs by Philippe Starck, Jorge Pensi created the chair IRTA 1994.

Co-founder Antonia Astori created the living concept OIKOS in 1973, which was revised several times over the years and is today available in many different material and colour variations (see also Proformshop). The break-through came in the 80’s, with armchair and sofa designs by designers Paolo Deganello (armchair BACKBOTTOMS), Achille Castiglioni (sofa SANCARLO), Sottsass Associati (sofa SACHER and DEMEL) and Massimo Morozzi (sofa WINSTON).

From 1984 onwards, Driade ventured down trendier paths. Antonia Astori created tables, such as CHARLOTTE, the SERIE LANG and CLOWN by Philippe Starck. At the end of the 80s, the furniture system KAOS replaced the system OIKOS and trod in its footsteps just as successfully.

In the mid-90s, the Driade-designers changed their focus to plastics, thus appealing to a younger and more price conscious audience: ATLANTIDE and TOKYO POP were born, and the glass collection TWO from 2003 is also aimed at a younger audience. Further objects from the Driade-collection can be viewed in the Proformshop.

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