For the first time together, the renowned Milanese designer Alessandro Stabile and the historic Friulian brand Zilio A&C unveil two projects at the Salone del Mobile. Milano 2024: the AX stool and the Mule bench family.
This partnership merges Stabile’s innovative vision with the artisanal expertise of Zilio A&C, established in 1951 in Manzano, in the heart of the Udine chair district.
“We created a profound harmony of aesthetic visions with Alessandro Stabile. The iconic simplicity of his design resonated deeply with me because it perfectly matches our search for timeless shapes. Both projects are also interesting for their versatility. They are immediately recognizable and open to multiple uses,” says Carlo Zilio, CEO of Zilio A&C.
AX: A Multifunctional Stool
The AX stool evokes the moment when a log, struck by the woodcutter’s ax, splits in two. It is the temporal crystallization of a gesture translated into a clean and extremely marked form.
“I fully identify with the sophisticated essentiality of Zilio A&C, and the high-quality craftsmanship of the company, which meticulously explores every detail thanks to ingenious and precise processes, has been a great stimulus for me. With AX, I worked on a strong design, deliberately avoiding nuanced meanings to ensure it was immediately understandable to the end user. A stackable stool whose almost graphic purity transcends time and, paradoxically, is suited to many different spontaneous situations, from domestic spaces to contract environments,” says Alessandro Stabile.
The split that characterizes AX suggests its grip for moving and stacking. An ideal complement as informal seating in restaurants and bars or in exhibition spaces and contexts such as libraries and bookstores to quickly set up a talk area or to be freely placed in home interiors. Made of ash plywood, it is available in five mix-andmatch shades: alongside natural and black, blue, green, and red, primary and saturated colors that add a pop touch. Meticulous details embellish the stool and increase its functionality, such as the split that continues on the seat surface and is felt in the slight inclination of the wood, creating a refined chiaroscuro movement. Or the internal construction system that, when stacking the stool, prevents it from sliding all the way down, thereby protecting the wood from excessive rubbing and wear and ensuring its durability over time.
Mule. The Archetypal Benches with Zen Vibrations
Practicality and beauty return in the Mule project, a family of ash benches where Alessandro Stabile’s sculptural linearity is enhanced by milled solid wood sides.
As he explains: “The skilled craftsmanship highlights the richness of the material and creates a noble object consisting of two monoliths that support the suspended seat. It’s like a small temple that, with its solid continuity, conveys a sense of calm and seems to slow down the perception of time in those who observe it, inviting them to sit for a break in the flow of everyday life.”
Mule can also be interpreted in many different ways. From temporary seating perfect for contract use in a showroom or store to a domestic support surface that can be moved as needed in the living room for a book and cell phone, in the bedroom as a nightstand or valet stand, or in the bathroom as a storage solution. The bench is available in two sizes – 60 and 120 centimeters – in a refined, organic, and intense palette: olive green, smoke, and oxide red, in addition to the classic black and natural ash.
