Jaime Tresserra, sidewalk

JAIME TRESSERRA CLAPÉS (Barcelona, 1943).
Bench. Designed in 1995.
Walnut wood and hazelnut-colored calfskin.
Some signs of wear, but in very good condition.
Measurements: 35 x 139 x 50 cm.

The combination of walnut wood and calfskin leather gives this bench a character that is very representative of Jaime Tresserra’s style. Its clean lines and gently curved profile are enhanced by the ribbed seat, side straps, and metal accents, which blend function and ornamentation. The meticulous craftsmanship and attention to detail reflect the refined artistry that distinguishes his designs.

An exclusive designer for the Tresserra Collection, Jaime Tresserra studied law at the University of Barcelona, though he eventually left his studies to begin a career as an interior designer, creating exclusive furniture for his clients. After several years as an interior designer, Tresserra decided to start his own company and presented his first furniture collection at the Valencia International Furniture Fair in 1987, where he won the award for best modern furniture design. In the years that followed, he continued to present his creations annually at the International Furniture Fairs in Milan and Cologne, receiving a warm reception from both the public and critics. These were also years in which he took on large-scale interior design projects, such as the El Dorado Petit restaurant in New York, the offices of the Cuatrecasas law firm, and others. In the early 1990s, his designs received awards such as the ID International Design Magazine Award for the Carlton-House “Butterfly” piece; the International Design Review Award ’90 in New York; and the ID Golden Award for the “Dune” design. In preparation for the 1992 Barcelona Olympic Games, he designed the interiors for the twenty-eight luxury apartments located on the top floors of the Arts Building (now the Hotel Arts), a project that earned him widespread international recognition. Two years later, in 1994, he launched the Tresserra Collection brand, unveiling it in a new showroom. Recognition of the artisanal quality of his pieces, his presence at the most important trade shows, and the significance of his latest projects led, beginning in 2000, to the opening of his own stores in cities such as Paris, Madrid, London, Moscow, Berlin, Boston, Chicago, and St. Petersburg.