Downtown Design
redazione 17/11/2025

Masterful knots

Tying, weaving, interlacing: a gesture that skillfully blends technique, aesthetics, and culture. This act, imbued with strong symbolism, has allowed designers to create objects that oscillate between functionality and pure poetry. Thus, chairs, cushions, lamps, and furnishings translate ancient knowledge into new, contemporary design visions

The Knotted Chair (on conver), a masterpiece created by Marcel Wanders for Cappellini in 1996, originated from an aramid rope woven around a carbon fiber core, then stiffened with epoxy resin, following the traditional macramé technique. The result is an object not only innovative in the design world but a true work of art, consecrated by its permanent exhibition at MoMA in New York, the V&A Museum in London, and the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam.

Patio by Ethimo, design Studio Zanellato:Bortotto

Patio by Ethimo,
design Studio Zanellato/Bortotto

Knot by Design House Stockholm, design Ragnheiður Ösp Sigurðardóttir

Knot by Design House Stockholm,
design Ragnheiður Ösp Sigurðardóttir

Ethimo and Studio Zanellato/Bortotto present Patio, a new line of outdoor furniture distinguished by the creative use of weaving, combined with the natural beauty of teak. Patio is a lounge collection with embracing shapes and a “cocooning” character, designed to cradle the body in a comfortable embrace. The distinctive pattern that characterizes all elements of the collection evokes the traditional weaving art of Eastern cultures.

After extensive experimentation with machine-knitted tubular processing, the Knot cushion was born in 2011 for Design House Stockholm, conceived by Icelandic designer Ragnheiður Ösp Sigurðardóttir. Made from a long, knitted tube, measuring several meters, it is skillfully knotted to form a compact shape. The result is both a comfortable sofa support and a playful, pop object perfect for display.

Tribal by Talenti, design Ludovica Serafini + Roberto Palomba

Tribal by Talenti, design Ludovica Serafini + Roberto Palomba

Characterized by a strong ethnic inspiration, Tribal is a lamp designed by Ludovica Serafini + Roberto Palomba for Talenti. The woven rope, in both floor and suspension versions, casts evocative plays of light and shadow, creating magical and enveloping atmospheres in outdoor spaces.

Wadi by Paola Lenti, design CRS - Photo © Maurizio Natta

Wadi by Paola Lenti, design CRS – Photo © Maurizio Natta

Exclusive technical yarns and manually applied geometric decorations identify Paola Lenti‘s High Tech outdoor rug collection. Among them, Asira and Wadi are mats with natural colors and a straw-like appearance, decorated with multicolored stripes, knots, and lozenges that echo symbols from rich Mediterranean traditions.

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