branca stool by industrial facility for mattiazzi mimics branches in nature

the branca stool by industrial facility for mattiazzi mimics branches in nature
all images courtesy of industrial facility

five years ago, mattiazzi introduced the branca chair, an all-wood, stacking armchair produced with a combination of advanced robotic manufacturing and hand-crafted techniques. for 2014, sam hecht and kim colin from london-based studio industrial facility reworked the original design from 2009 and presented the branca stool for the italian furniture manufacturer. available in natural and colored ash (anilin black, anilin white, anilin branca green and natural ash) with a powder-coated footrest, the new stool continues the branca typology of tree branches seamlessly meeting and bending.

‘it’s been 5 years since we’ve produced the branca chair for mattiazzi, which in some ways was a little bit of a turning point for exploring wood in another sophisticated manner,’ sam hecht tells designboom. ‘and so after 5 years, we thought it was a good time to extend the family.’

‘mattiazzi is one of the most unique companies not only in italy, but in the world, because they are both producers of wood – all of the facets of the wood production are by mattiazzi under one roof,’ hecht adds. ‘they have this really unique combination of both the artisan and the technologist. so whenever we’ve worked with them, we’ve always tried to manipulate that process to try to produce some warmth, that is not a warmth only from the hand, but also from the machine. as a result, they’re able to sculpt and shape wood in a very unique manner.’

the backrest is small and reassuring, providing a backstop and a place to hang a jacket

the furniture piece has been designed to allow free movement at stool height

detail of the branca stool in a natural finish

the metal curved footrest replicates the outline of the seat 

sam hecht with the branca stool during salone del mobile in milan