Osvaldo Borsani and Eugenio Gerli, for Tecno.

OSVALDO BORSANI (Varedo, 1911 – Milan, 1985) and EUGENIO GERLI (Milan, 1923–2013) for Tecno.
“T69” table, designed in 1963.
Chrome-plated metal and circular smoked glass top.
Shows signs of wear, especially on the base.
Measurements: 65 x 120 x 120 cm.

The T69 is one of the most recognizable designs developed by Osvaldo Borsani and Eugenio Gerli for Tecno, and it particularly well embodies the company’s desire to transform the structural solution into a graphic symbol. Tecno itself links the profile of its base to the iconic “T” of the logo designed by Roberto Mango: two curved elements intersect and open toward the floor and toward the tabletop, creating a continuous silhouette with great visual lightness. The model has been documented by the company since 1963.

The construction using tangent semicircles transforms a central support into a structure with a distinctly sculptural character, deliberately avoiding right angles. Above it, the wide circular tabletop appears to be suspended, reinforcing the contrast between the horizontality of the plane and the upward movement of the base. Tecno has also noted that this structure references the logic of the double-T beams used by Mies van der Rohe—a connection consistent with Borsani and Gerli’s interest in translating architectural elements into industrial design.

An architect, designer, and co-founder of Tecno in 1953, Osvaldo Borsani was a key figure in postwar Italian design, reconciling technical innovation and industrial production in models such as the P40 armchair and the D70 sofa. Eugenio Gerli, an architect trained at the Polytechnic University of Milan, maintained a long-standing collaboration with Tecno and Borsani, participating in various projects that today form part of the firm’s historical repertoire.