Frank Lloyd Wright, for Cassina

FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT (Richland Center, Wisconsin, 1867 – Phoenix, Arizona, 1959) for CASSINA.
Set of four “Midway 2” chairs and a “Midway 3” table. Designed in 1914. Cassina edition, 1980s.
Lacquered steel tubing, fabric upholstery, polyurethane foam, and glass.
Features a Cassina stamp on the frame.
In good condition. Shows signs of use, patina, and minor lacquer wear consistent with its age.
Chair measurements: 88 x 48 x 40 cm; seat height: 44 cm.
Table measurements: base, 52 x 52 x 67 cm; tabletop diameter: 120 cm; glass thickness: 1.5 cm; total height: 68.5 cm.

Originally conceived for the Midway Gardens in Chicago in 1914, this set of four “Midway 2” chairs and a “Midway 3” table represents one of the furniture designs most closely linked to Frank Lloyd Wright’s architecture. The architect conceived Midway Gardens as a comprehensive project, designing not only the building but also the furniture, lighting, and numerous ornamental elements. Decades later, Cassina revived these models as part of its program dedicated to the great masters of 20th-century design, preserving the distinctive geometric vocabulary devised by Wright.

The lightness of the steel rods is a hallmark of the rigorous geometric organization of the ensemble. In the chairs, the large circle of the backrest is bisected by a sequence of triangles that introduces a distinct vertical rhythm, while the grid of diagonals in the base transforms the supporting structure into a true spatial design. The table develops the same design language through an open construction that remains fully visible beneath the glass top. In this way, structure and ornamentation cease to function as independent elements and come together to form a single composition—a concept fully consistent with Wright’s quest to integrate architecture, furniture, and the decorative arts. The blue finish, one of the variants planned for the Cassina edition, particularly accentuates the graphic interpretation of the pieces.

Frank Lloyd Wright was one of the defining figures in 20th-century architecture and design. His concept of organic architecture advocated for the integration of the building, the interior, and its furnishings into a coherent whole—a principle that explains the importance of his furniture designs within his body of work. In addition to seminal works such as Fallingwater and the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York, he developed numerous interiors and furniture sets conceived specifically for his buildings. His designs are part of major international collections, including those of the Museum of Modern Art and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.