Image source: Zanotta — Throw-Away
© Zanotta and the respective rights holders. Quoted to accompany INTEBEE's independent design commentary and research.
Throw-Away
Willie Landels' 1965 structureless sofa formed entirely from expanded polyurethane
2050 × 610 × 750 mm
1965
Official product information
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Description
Overview
Throw-Away is the 1965 armchair, sofa and pouf family by Willie Landels. Zanotta describes it as the first sofa made entirely from expanded polyurethane without a wood, metal or other frame, and calls its market introduction a major furniture innovation.
Construction
- Body: expanded polyurethane
- Cover: removable fabric or leather
- Production: structureless and industrially made
Specifications
- Largest drawing values, not labelled with axes: 205, 75 and 61 cm for sofa 1150/302
- Other formats: 1150/102 armchair, 1150/202 sofa and 1150/POUF
Story
A radical 1965 proposal
Zanotta places Throw-Away in the London culture surrounding Mary Quant, the miniskirt, Beatlesmania and student protest. Landels moved between graphic art, advertising, magazine art direction, design and writing.
Innovation without a conventional frame
When introduced, Throw-Away was presented as a major furniture innovation: a sofa produced wholly from polyurethane, with no internal frame in wood, metal or another material. Zanotta dates the design to 1965.