Travio Chair – an echo of Alpine building craft

Travio is a chair in which a sensuous understanding of form exists at the intersection of craft thinking and architectural aesthetics. Its character draws on archetypal elements of Alpine architecture, in particular the wooden trave, the Italian word for “beam” – an element associated with stability and with the memory of human labour embedded in the making of a place. This reference is carried into the name itself: the ending -io transforms the original word into a softer-sounding neologism while preserving the architectural origin of the concept.

In the chair, the image of the beam is reinterpreted as its visual focus: a concise crosspiece connecting the rear legs and shaping the silhouette. The backrest, by contrast, settles into a gentle curve, like a yielding piece of fabric caught by a passing current of air. Its movement gives the chair its character while following the body and providing comfortable support, without obscuring the clarity of its construction. Simple assembly makes Travio particularly suited to contract interiors, especially those where authentic forms, tactile materials and the presence of craftsmanship matter. From the intimacy of a small trattoria to a conference room or boutique hotel, Travio finds its place naturally across different settings.