Raction Potique Collection

At this year's Salone del Mobile in Milan, Cassina presented a new collection - designed by Jaime Hayon - of objects inspired by both the organic shapes of Le Corbusier's architecture and by his artwork for the Pavilion l'Esprit Nouveau. Buildings such as the famous chapel at Ronchamp and the government buildings of Chandigarh in India exhibit sensuous structural forms made possible by advances in concrete technology at the time. The Pavilion de L'Esprit Nouveau was a temporary building constructed in 1925 within the framework of the International Exhibition of Decorative Arts in Paris. For Le Corbusier, it was a chance to show his provocative ideas on architecture and urbanism that he had begun to develop with his cousin Pierre Jeanneret since 1922.

The Chapel at Ronchamp

Vihan Sabha building in Chandigarh

Nature morte (still life) du Pavillon de l'Esprit Nouveau, 1924 Image courtesy of Fondation le Corbusier © FLC/ADAGP

The name itself stems from Le Corbusier's own eclectic collection of "objets à réaction poétique" (objects of poetic reaction) which consisted of shells, stones, bones, and machine parts - the products of nature as well as the products of industry that spoke to him of creative energy in its infinite potential - which resonate in his surrealist paintings.

Taking a loose interpretation of these forms, Jaime Hayon has created trays, centrepieces and side tables, all rigorously produced in solid ash-wood stained black with a low-gloss finish.

The Réaction Poétique Collection remains true to Cassina’s well-established heritage in working with wood, where skilled handcraftsmanship is combined with industrial innovation. These items are branded with the Cassina logo and accompanied by their own identity card to guarantee the authenticity of each single piece. They are also presented in a special packaging to highlight the inimitable quality of the project.

Designer Jaime Hayon with some of the collection. Image courtesy of Axel Dupeux for The Wall Street Journal

"I wanted to create useful objects for the modern home such as trays and side tables, but with sculptural elements interplaying forms, light and shadow. It was a very strict, almost religious challenge to use only one material and one finish, exercising my design philosophy," says Hayon. "I feel this restriction actually became an opportunity to showcase the beauty of the wood, along with the expert mastery of Cassina’s carpentry workshop."

The Réaction Poétique Collection is on display in store now.