Wittmann CONSTANZE 3/4 Upholstered leather footstool

Upholstered leather footstool with chrome-plated metal frame from the COSTANZE 3/4 collection, designed by Johannes Spalt for Wittmann Möbelwerkstätten.‎ The name of the collection derives from the nickname given to his working group.‎Originally called 'Arbeitsgruppe 4' and consisting of Friedrich Kurrent, Johannes Spalt, Wilhelm Holzbauer and Otto Leitner, when the latter had to leave them, it was affectionately nicknamed 'die 3/4-ler' (the three-quarters).‎ With unmistakably precise handcrafted detail, an upholstered moulded wood shell sits on top of a shiny chrome aluminium base in the Constanze 3/4 armchair.‎ An additional moulded wood shell gives the masterfully deep buttoned seating element extra stability.‎ The positioning of the legs breaks up the compactness of the solid upholstered element – reflecting the lightness that Spalt wished to engender.‎ The armrests give the piece its characteristic form.‎ A footstool cut from the same cloth and a table complete the group.‎ For Wittmann, Johannes Spalt was an integral part of the company as it broke new ground – and he is among the most striking figures in Austrian architecture.‎ In 1952, together with Otto Leitner, Wilhelm Holzbauer and Friedrich Kurrent, he founded Arbeitsgruppe 4 (working group 4).‎ The group came up with pioneering projects that provided key impetus for the decades that followed.‎ 1960 saw the creation of Spalt’s “3/4 Möbel”, his first project with Wittmann.‎ It comprised an armchair, a footstool and a side table.‎ The name is derived from the nickname given to his Arbeitsgruppe 4.‎ After the departure of Otto Leitner, they were affectionately known as “die 3/4-ler” (the three quarter-ers).‎ In 1961, the Constanze bench appeared, which could be converted from a seat into a bed using a specially-developed mechanism.‎ Today, the lines, function and style of the 3/4 furniture still appear every bit as modern and in touch with the zeitgeist.‎ Reason enough for Wittmann to let them shine in the context of timeless design, bringing them into the here and now with a subtle update.‎ Spalt wanted to create “intelligent furniture that enables the cultivation of an interior culture”.‎ Wittmann’s goal is to use the new edition of the 3/4 furniture to give this philosophy enduring impact.‎