The lower a piece of furniture is, the cooler it appears. Designer Emmanuel Gallina is moving more towards the table.
In April 2023, he presented his Monolith table with a round top at the Milan Furniture Fair, at Poliform, in an outdoor version 65 cm high, instead of the 74.5 cm of the original version. When you think about it, both in Japan and in North Africa, in the Middle East, we eat at ground level. During a trip to Uzbekistan, I was even struck by the fact that we ate meals on a platform 30 cm from the ground, where mats were on the ground. The Dine Out table by Rodolfo Dordoni published by Cassina goes from 73 cm to 66 cm for outdoor use. The height was actually the original height. Florence Knoll noticed that the lower the table, the larger the surrounding room seemed. The lower height was called “continental height” and brought the seated person closer to the ground, creating a less formal and more intimate atmosphere. It invites you to get together in a less conventional way, to share dishes like tapas, which are increasingly common among us. It therefore corresponds to these new uses in terms of meals. And then, in summer, it is more versatile than a classic high-leg model. We will sit there to have our coffee when we get up; we will stay there to read the press in a relaxed manner. These are arguments which should establish the reputation of this table, neither too large or too small. – Luca Fuso, CEO of Cassina.