De Pas, D'Urbino and Lomazzi, Jeep shelving for BBB Bonacina

JONATHAN DE PAS (Milan, 1932-1991), DONATO D'URBINO (Milan, 1935) and PAOLO LOMAZZI (Milan, 1936) for BBB Bonacina.
Modular bookcase "Jeep", 1970s.
ABS plastic.
With publisher's stamps.
It shows signs of wear according to its age and use.
Measurements: 204 x 90 x 31 cm.

The Jeep bookcase, designed by Jonathan de Pas, Donato D'Urbino and Paolo Lomazzi, represents one of the most iconic pieces of radical Italian design of the 1970s. The piece breaks with the traditional idea of the bookcase as a discreet and purely utilitarian object, turning it into an expressive element that reflects the experimental, playful and anti-conventional spirit of Italian design at the time. It was designed for BBB Bonacina, one of the most representative firms of radical Italian design in the 1970s. It is distinguished by its highly versatile modular structure and a geometric and experimental aesthetic typical of the Italian pop and Space Age movement.

BBB Bonacina collaborated with some of the most influential designers of the time, including Achille Castiglioni and De Pas, D'Urbino & Lomazzi, resulting in pieces that are now considered milestones of 20th century Italian industrial design.

Jonathan De Pas, Donato D'Urbino and Paolo Lomazzi worked in Milan in the 1960s. Their research, focused especially on furniture and temporary constructions with avant-garde signs, materials and industrial technologies, led them to receive numerous international awards, including the Compasso d'Oro in 1979. One of their most outstanding creations was Joe, an armchair they designed for Poltronova conceived as a tribute to the American baseball player Joe DiMaggio, which is shaped like a giant baseball glove. This piece represented a break with the traditional notion of what a conventional lifestyle should be. In 1972 they participated in the show "Italy: The New Domestic Landscape" at the New York Museum of Modern Art. They also poured their expertise into the design and construction of several inflatable housing projects for the Italian pavilion at the Osaka World Expo and the 14th Milan Triennale.