Osvaldo Borsani T95 Executive Desk for Tecno, Italy, 1956

Borsani’s most recognizable office designs and an excellent example of Tecno’s combination of refined Italian craftsmanship with innovative, highly functional engineering. The model was documented in Domus in February 1957. The desk features a large rectangular wooden worktop suspended above a black metal structure, combined with two floating storage cabinets. Both cabinets pivot independently around the vertical supports, allowing the configuration of the desk to be changed considerably. They can be positioned underneath the worktop for a compact arrangement or rotated outward to create a more expansive or corner-style workspace. This flexibility is one of the defining characteristics of Borsani’s T95 design. The larger cabinet combines drawers with an open storage compartment, while the smaller cabinet contains drawers. The sculpted horizontal drawer fronts give the otherwise architectural construction a particularly refined appearance. This example remains in used vintage condition and deliberately retains its history. The wooden surfaces show marks, scratches, stains and general traces of use throughout. The main tabletop has undergone a visible historic restoration, as shown in the detailed photographs. The cabinets are currently open. One key is present; however, the locking mechanism is not functional. Despite these cosmetic signs of age, the desk retains a very attractive warm patina and presents beautifully as an original vintage piece. The standard rectangular worktop of this version of the T95 is 180 cm wide × 85 cm deep, with an overall height of approximately 76 cm. Because both cabinets rotate outward, the total footprint depends on how the desk is configured. With the cabinets fully extended can reach approximately 237–259 cm in overall width.