Tecno - Osvaldo Borsani - Chair (5) - Mode - Aluminium, ABS

Osvaldo Borsani & Centro Progetti Tecno – Set of 5 Tecno office chairs "Modus", Italy

A piece of Italian design history, ready for your desk.

Some names belong not only to design history: they wrote it. Osvaldo Borsani (Varedo 1911 – Milan 1985) grew up in his father’s joinery workshop in Brianza, the cradle of Italian furniture craftsmanship. In 1933, still a student, he won a silver medal at the Milan Triennale. In the postwar period he worked alongside artists such as Lucio Fontana, Arnaldo Pomodoro and Fausto Melotti.

In 1953, together with his twin brother Fulgenzio, he founded Tecno, from the Greek téchne, which at the time meant both art and technique. The idea was revolutionary: furniture as a technological object, designed with mechanisms and built to function. The results became legendary. The P40 chair is now part of the MoMA and Victoria & Albert Museum collections, and the D70 sofa was a sensation at the 1954 Triennale. In the 1970s Tecno furnished offices worldwide and collaborated with Norman Foster, Gae Aulenti and Renzo Piano.

The Modus: an award-winning icon

The Modus chair was born in 1972 from Centro Progetti Tecno, the internal design laboratory founded by Borsani with his daughter Valeria and architect Marco Fantoni. It was designed to complete the famous Tecno office system Graphis. The following year, in 1973, it won the SMAU Prize.

Its secret lies in a patented "spider" connection between shell and base, an engineering solution that made Modus one of the most intelligent and recognizable office chairs of its era. Space-age lines, Italian rigor and pure functionality in a single sculptural silhouette.

This set: a story you can feel

These five chairs come from a bank in Emilia-Romagna. For years they furnished Italian offices where decisions were made and deals signed, and they carry this heritage into every curve. The set was produced in 1985, as confirmed by the stamping on the underside of the shell: the same year Borsani passed away. One of the last chapters of his legacy.

That green. A deep, glossy green that brings life to any space, far rarer and more impactful than the usual black or white. Paired with the black upholstery, the effect is timeless.

Real comfort. The enveloping ergonomic shell and the padded seat and backrest make these chairs pleasant even for long hours of work.

Height-adjustable. They rise and lower easily to fit any desk.

Home office or conference room. Put one at your home desk and your study becomes a statement of style. Use all five in a conference room or study and you immediately create an iconic workspace. They also work as dining chairs for a bold, ’70s-inspired interior.

Technical details

Designer: Centro Progetti Tecno / Osvaldo Borsani
Manufacturer: Tecno, Italy
Model: Modus, design 1972 (SMAU Prize 1973)
Production: 1985 (dated stamp on underside)
Shell: glossy reinforced stamped plastic, green
Base: polished die-cast aluminum, five-spoke swivel base
Mechanism: patented Tecno connection between shell and base, marked "Patent Pending"
Upholstery: black fabric on seat and back
Swivel and height-adjustable
Approximate dimensions: H 73–77 cm · seat height 40–44 cm · W 48 cm · D 45 cm

Condition

The auction lot consists of 5 chairs.
Maintenance: chairs have been professionally cleaned and sanitised.
Condition: shells and frames are intact and stable, as are cushions and covers, firm and comfortable, with only light signs of use.
One chair shows a thin capillary crack on the front of the shell, which does not affect its stability or use.

Five Modus chairs, an iconic color, a legendary name. Do not miss them.