Material Araucaria pine plywood (Madeirit)
Dimensions 65 × 50 × 97.5 cm
Price Price Upon Inquiry
Status Vetted

About the Work

Conceived for the Bittencourt House, the tea trolley forms part of the body of furniture developed by Lina Bo Bardi (Italy, 1914 – Brazil, 1992) within the context of the Studio d’Arte Palma (1948–1950), a key initiative in the formulation of a modern language in Brazil grounded in local materials and vernacular knowledge. Originally designed in pau-marfim wood, the model was ultimately executed in plywood, underscoring the architect’s recurrent adaptation of means and her attentiveness to the concrete conditions of production—an essential aspect of her practice in this period.


Designed by Vilanova Artigas in São Paulo in the late 1940s, the residence was furnished in the following decade with a group of pieces conceived by Bo Bardi, expanding and enriching the experience of its interiors. In this sense, furniture moves beyond a merely complementary role to participate actively in the organization of the domestic space. Developed within the framework of the Studio d’Arte Palma, in collaboration with Giancarlo Palanti, the pieces share formal and constructive solutions that articulate structural rationality, clarity of use, and engagement with locally available materials.


In the tea trolley, these principles find expression in a light and functional configuration, in which mobility and everyday use are central. The simplicity of its planes and the legibility of its structure reveal a characteristic formal refinement, while the use of plywood underscores a commitment to accessible and technically viable solutions. More than a utilitarian object, the piece embodies Bo Bardi’s understanding of furniture as a constitutive element of the domestic environment, articulating use, construction, and spatial presence.


Associated with practices of conviviality and hospitality, the tea trolley introduces a dynamic dimension into the domestic interior, mediating relations between circulation, service, and sociability. As such, the piece not only responds to functional demands but also structures modes of use and interaction, reflecting Bo Bardi’s interest in a design approach capable of integrating everyday gestures with spatial organization within a unified conceptual framework.

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