Happenings - Zanotta SpA

PRODUCTIONHappeningsno.2/09 p.8The fantastic 12Servi, a very special, useful,innovative and timeless familydesigned by Castiglioni forZanotta. It is a winner even todayOf all furnishing accessories of modern design,the Servi series by Achille and PierGiacomoCastiglioni is unquestionably the most famous.Developed over a twenty year periodfrom 1961, this collection is to date highly topical. TheMilanese designers envisioned it as a functional, minimal,resistant series; ideal to “serve” both domestic and publicspaces; a sectional, dismountable, modular system.Homogeneous and in progress. A single polypropylenebase, a high or low steel pole that acts as a prop and someaccessories designed to sustain, bear, contain and highlight.Colours: black, white and aluminium. The first tobe designed in 1961 by the Castiglioni brothers’ exceptionalcomposition skills were Servofumo and Servopluvio, respectivelya free-standing ashtray and a basic umbrellastand. The designers made use of just four pieces to buildtwo accessories: a pole, a base, a curved rod and a tub tocollect water that drips from umbrellas in one item and tocollect ash in the other item. They were created - a commonevent among designers who do not find what theyseek in the market - to furnish Milan’s restaurant-pubSplügen. Then came the occasional table Servomuto (designedin 1974, a shelf in black or white stratified plastic laminateor stiff polyurethane with a “prehensile” rod), thefirst to be sent in for production in 1975, followed byServofumo and Servopluvio in 1980, and then by the rest ofthe “family”. When Zanotta introduced it the same year atthe Furniture Fair, few understood it immediately, but itsoon won over the market, like the other ten Servi designedby the Castiglionis until 1987. Over the years many of theseitems were added to the permanent collections of sevendesign museums in the world.Servi series, a family of “powerfully” simple occasional tables, coatracks, umbrella stands, coat stands and equipped poles.ON EXHIBITFrom 1984, when Servomostre was added to thecollection, the series designed by Castiglionibecame part of contract furnishings formuseums, and of fittings for fairs, shop windowsand public events. At this point it was a realsystem that met all functional requirements, suchas defining, exhibiting, marking tracks, backingimages and highlighting. From the first historicaldesign and architectural events held in the early’80s to date, there has been a sequence ofdisplays, installations and exhibitions. Servi items,with their typical conical base and supportingpole, have become a classical element to inform,exhibit art and organise multimedia spaces.