Cassina Outdoor Furniture | Italian Design by True Design

Some of the most compelling outdoor spaces borrow their cues from inside the home: generous sofas, beautifully made furniture and pieces chosen as much for their design as their practicality. Cassina brings exactly this thinking outdoors, extending almost a century of Italian design expertise into a collection where modern icons sit alongside contemporary pieces created specifically for life in the open air. True Design brings this approach to South African spaces, offering access to Cassina outdoor furniture and its distinctive Italian design heritage.

A shared design language

It is part of what the brand calls “The Cassina Perspective” – a vision that brings different eras, designers and ideas together through a shared design language. Outdoors, that means everything from adaptations of 20th-century classics by Le Corbusier, Pierre Jeanneret and Charlotte Perriand to newer designs by Antonio Citterio, Philippe Starck and Rodolfo Dordoni.

Among the most recognisable is the Fauteuil Grand Confort, grand modèle. Originally designed by Le Corbusier, Pierre Jeanneret and Charlotte Perriand in 1928, its distinctive construction separates the tubular metal frame from the loose upholstered cushions held within it. For outdoors, Cassina has reworked the icon with a stainless-steel structure finished in a textured paint available in five colours, paired with water-repellent upholstery. Available in two- and three-seater versions, it retains the clarity of the original while allowing an enduring piece of design history to move beyond the living room.

Comfort and precision

For something altogether softer, Antonio Citterio’s Esosoft Outdoor plays with the contrast between structure and texture. Its metal exoskeleton supports a hand-woven shell reminiscent of traditional wicker. This creates a tactile surround for loose cushions that can be repositioned for a more relaxed way of sitting.

There is considered engineering beneath that comfort, too. The woven fibre has been developed to resist abrasion, heat and UV radiation, while work by Cassina LAB has introduced circular materials into the cushioning, including polyurethane containing a percentage of bio-derived polyols and recycled PET wadding. Exposed screws allow the metal base to be disassembled, helping to facilitate the recycling of individual components at the end of the product’s life.

Philippe Starck takes a more organic approach with Fenc-e Nature. The designer subsequently describes this as a collection of “relaxed elegance”. Solid teak, hand-woven rope and natural untreated willow bring texture and an affinity with the outdoors to its two- and three-seater sofas. Even the reclining mechanism becomes part of the design story. Here, a solid teak support shaped to resemble a branch allows the backrest to be adjusted between two positions.

Dining receives equal attention

Rodolfo Dordoni’s Dine Out collection combines solid teak with hand-woven polypropylene cord and water-repellent upholstery. It is finished with tailored details such as grey gros-grain piping. A settee, stackable armchair and dining tables in different sizes make it possible to create a setting around long lunches and dinners outside. This can be done without sacrificing the comfort or attention to detail usually associated with indoor furniture.

Together, these pieces reflect a wider shift in the way outdoor areas are being designed. The terrace, patio and garden are increasingly approached as extensions of the home. Here, furniture is expected to offer the same level of comfort, craftsmanship and design integrity while standing up to the demands of the elements.

In South Africa, Cassina is locally available through True Design, giving design lovers access to the Italian brand and its celebrated collections closer to home. True Design’s portfolio is built around authentic international design. It brings together brands with rich histories and a track record of pioneering new ideas, technologies and approaches to furniture.

It makes Cassina a natural fit. After almost 100 years of imagining new ways to live, the brand continues to show that great design needn’t stop at the door – some of its most interesting conversations are now happening outside.