The Coronado is one of the foundational projects of Afra and Tobia Scarpa’s research into materials, industrial production, and the possibilities of new technologies in furniture design. Introduced in 1966 by C&B Italia — the company that would later become B&B Italia — the Coronado represented a technical and formal departure from traditional upholstered seating, and it remains in production today as one of the brand’s signature pieces.

Design and construction

The Coronado emerged from a direct collaboration between the Scarpas and B&B Italia’s production research department. The starting point was the company’s recent introduction of cold-moulded polyurethane foam to the furniture sector — a material that allowed for new structural possibilities and faster, more consistent manufacturing processes. The challenge was to match this foam technology with a metal frame in a way that would produce a comfortable, durable seating system without relying on traditional upholstery techniques.

The solution was a steel structure wrapped in cold-moulded polyurethane foam padding. Inside the backrest, a suspension system composed of harmonic steel bands provides support and flexibility. The padding is finished with Dacron fiberfill and upholstered in leather or fabric. The result is a soft, enveloping form that maintains its shape over time without requiring the labour-intensive coconut fibre and spring assemblies typical of mid-century Italian seating.

The construction was designed with modularity in mind: the sofa and armchair are composed of four distinct structural pieces held together with only two screws. This allowed for separate production processes, reduced assembly time, and simplified shipping — the disassembled pieces could be packed flat and sent internationally, a critical consideration for B&B Italia’s export ambitions in the late 1960s.

Production evolution

During the first nine years of production, the Coronado underwent three technical iterations. The first version featured a wooden frame for the armrests, with flat surfaces designed to reduce production complexity. The structure used flexible sheets and metal belts for the seat, with padding in coconut fibre and Dacron, then covered in leather or velvet. This version was traditional in material choice but limited in durability.

The second version replaced the wooden armrest frame with perforated sheet metal, improving structural integrity. The third and final version — introduced in the early 1970s — fully adopted cold-moulded polyurethane foam, the technology that had been B&B Italia’s original contribution to the project. This version standardised the manufacturing process and is the basis for the model still produced today.

Context within B&B Italia’s early years

C&B Italia was founded in 1966 by Cesare Cassina and Piero Ambrogio Busnelli with the explicit goal of bringing Italian furniture to international markets through industrial production rather than artisanal manufacture. The Coronado was one of the company’s first major projects and established the technical direction that would define B&B Italia’s identity: innovation in materials, attention to production efficiency, and collaboration with designers willing to engage with industrial processes.

The Coronado’s aesthetic — low-profile, leather-upholstered, free from decorative lines — was conceived as a bridge between period furniture and the growing demand for modern, understated design. This balance between tradition and innovation contributed to the piece’s commercial success and its longevity in the B&B Italia catalogue.

The Coronado is one of the foundational projects of Afra and Tobia Scarpa’s research into materials, industrial production, and the possibilities of new technologies in furniture design. Introduced in 1966 by C&B Italia — the company that would later become B&B Italia — the Coronado represented a technical and formal departure from traditional upholstered seating, and it remains in production today as one of the brand’s signature pieces.

Design and construction

The Coronado emerged from a direct collaboration between the Scarpas and B&B Italia’s production research department. The starting point was the company’s recent introduction of cold-moulded polyurethane foam to the furniture sector — a material that allowed for new structural possibilities and faster, more consistent manufacturing processes. The challenge was to match this foam technology with a metal frame in a way that would produce a comfortable, durable seating system without relying on traditional upholstery techniques.

The solution was a steel structure wrapped in cold-moulded polyurethane foam padding. Inside the backrest, a suspension system composed of harmonic steel bands provides support and flexibility. The padding is finished with Dacron fiberfill and upholstered in leather or fabric. The result is a soft, enveloping form that maintains its shape over time without requiring the labour-intensive coconut fibre and spring assemblies typical of mid-century Italian seating.

The construction was designed with modularity in mind: the sofa and armchair are composed of four distinct structural pieces held together with only two screws. This allowed for separate production processes, reduced assembly time, and simplified shipping — the disassembled pieces could be packed flat and sent internationally, a critical consideration for B&B Italia’s export ambitions in the late 1960s.

Production evolution

During the first nine years of production, the Coronado underwent three technical iterations. The first version featured a wooden frame for the armrests, with flat surfaces designed to reduce production complexity. The structure used flexible sheets and metal belts for the seat, with padding in coconut fibre and Dacron, then covered in leather or velvet. This version was traditional in material choice but limited in durability.

The second version replaced the wooden armrest frame with perforated sheet metal, improving structural integrity. The third and final version — introduced in the early 1970s — fully adopted cold-moulded polyurethane foam, the technology that had been B&B Italia’s original contribution to the project. This version standardised the manufacturing process and is the basis for the model still produced today.

Context within B&B Italia’s early years

C&B Italia was founded in 1966 by Cesare Cassina and Piero Ambrogio Busnelli with the explicit goal of bringing Italian furniture to international markets through industrial production rather than artisanal manufacture. The Coronado was one of the company’s first major projects and established the technical direction that would define B&B Italia’s identity: innovation in materials, attention to production efficiency, and collaboration with designers willing to engage with industrial processes.

The Coronado’s aesthetic — low-profile, leather-upholstered, free from decorative lines — was conceived as a bridge between period furniture and the growing demand for modern, understated design. This balance between tradition and innovation contributed to the piece’s commercial success and its longevity in the B&B Italia catalogue.

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