Carlton Bookcase (1981)
This Memphis piece, created in 1981 by Ettore Sottsass, challenged traditional furniture conventions through its bold form and unconventional materials. Functioning as a hybrid between a room divider, bookcase, and chest of drawers, Carlton disrupts expectations by using MDF and cheap plastic laminate, elevating low-cost materials into high-end, handcrafted design. Its playful yet structured composition blends vibrant colors with an arrangement of solids and voids that recall avant-garde art movements. Beneath its chaotic structure lies a logical system based on equilateral triangles, demonstrating a careful balance between order and disorder.
This piece defies modernist minimalism with bold colors and geometric play, transforming furniture into a statement of artistic rebellion.