Alberto Rosselli for Saporiti Confidential Corner Sofa in Decorative Velvet

Alberto Rosselli for Saporiti, sectional sofa, model 'Confidential', fabric, Italy, 1972

In 1972, Italian architect and furniture designer Alberto Rosselli designed a distinctive sofa for Saporiti Italia. This iconic piece features vibrant upholstery executed in the colors burgundy red, brown, beige, green, and black, resembling a quilt with diverse rectangular sections, showcasing various designs from geometrical shapes to floral motifs. Noteworthy is Rosselli's ingenious display of the functional connection between the backrest and cushion, making it a defining feature of the sofa. The puzzle-like cushions unite the elements, producing a soft and welcoming aesthetic. Recognized as one of the pioneering modular sofas for home use, this sofa remains an enduring symbol of design excellence.

Alberto Rosselli (1921-1976) was born in Palermo, capital of the island of Sicily in Italy. After he graduated in architecture from the Politecnico di Milano in 1947, he stayed and worked in Milan. In 1950, Rosselli, Gio Ponti, and Antonio Fornaroli formed the architecture/design firm Studio Ponti Fornaroli Rosselli (P.F.R) where he worked on his first architectural project ‘Pirelli Tower’ in 1954. During the same year, with the help of Ponti, he founded and directed his own journal titled ‘Stile Industria’, which focused on improving the relationship between design and industry in Italy. The issues incorporated topics that touched on different disciplines, such as design, architecture, and arts, which made significant contributions to the design discourse until its last publication in 1963. He became an acknowledged pioneer of industrial design, co-founding the Association for Industrial Design (ADI) in 1956, and between 1961 and 1963, working as a vice-president for the International Council of Societies of Industrial Design (ICSID). Here, he pursued a career in the academic field where he developed new teaching that embodied sophisticated methodological principles. He introduced the concept and process of “decision-making” in design to the faculty of architecture in the University of Milan. Rosselli passed away in 1976, who left his mark as an architect, designer, and university lecture, a man known for his theoretical approach to industrial design.

Please be aware that the velour upholstery exhibits a gradient quality, resulting in a variation of light tones depending on the viewing perspective. Furthermore, there is a noticeable discoloration on the back of the sofa. Reupholstery can be done before shipping by our experienced craftspeople in our own in-house restoration atelier. With high attention for the original, they make sure every piece retains its value and is ready for the many years to come. We kindly ask you to contact our design experts for further information about the endless possibilities our restoration and upholstery atelier has to offer. Of course, a locally organized reupholstery is possible as well.

VAT within the EU: When buying or delivering an item within the EU, VAT usually applies and will be added.