maria bonita oo25

arthur casas

2015

finishes:

structure: treated wood

seat: cane with indian-brazilian weave

the maria bonita chair was created for a special context — the brazilian pavilion at expo 2015 in milan, a project by studio arthur casas that won the national design competition for the event. along with the lampião chair, maria bonita brought a touch of northeastern brazilian culture to the interactive space. both are named after leaders of the cangaço — a famed social movement that took place in northeastern brazil during the 19th and early 20th centuries — and are inspired by an iconic element of their attire: the wide-brimmed hat, typically made of thick, sturdy leather. this leather detail wraps around the light wood structure, forming the backrest. the first pieces were developed by italian artisans and produced by the brand poliform, serving as the foundation for our current version, now made in brazil.