When developing Molteni&C’s inaugural Outdoor Collection, Palinfrasca, creative director Vincent Van Duysen simultaneously looked to the past and the present,, resurrecting favourites designs from the brand’s archives while also calling on some esteemed contemporaries like Foster + Partners and Ron Gilad to contribute original pieces. Palinfrasca is an example of the former.

Representing the Landmark Collection – one of three concepts within the overarching Outdoor Collection – Palinfrasca pays direct tribute to the iconic heritage piece that architect and designer Luca Meda originally created in 1994.

With the outdoor version, Van Duysen maintains its pleasantly round form and banded woven backrest – “a marvel of Italian savoir-faire and fine craftsmanship,” the macro-scale warp and weft motif combines natural teak or olive-green EVA polyurethane bands with painted metal rods that evoke the poles and branches used in basket-making.

A pillar-like frame supports the entire volume and features a smooth flat top that doubles as a handy shelf for drinks and small objects; generous seat cushions feature variable densities for top-level comfort. The Palinfrasca series includes sofas in three widths, a loveseat, end pieces in two lengths, corner and chaise longues in two lengths, an armchair, a pouffe and the super-inviting circular island element shown.