Osvaldo Borsani and Agenore Fabbri E22 shelving system for Tecno, Italy, 1950s

This E22 modular bookcase/wall system, conceived by Osvaldo Borsani for Tecno, presents a remarkably poetic and functional architecture of display and storage. The composition begins with a grid of tall, slender vertical uprights in black metal, which carry a rhythmic sequence of teak shelves and box-modules that float lightly off the wall. Among them, a desk-shelf and enclosed cabinets appear seamlessly integrated, and in the visual field the deep, expressive painting by Agenore Fabbri becomes not an afterthought, but a focal module within the ensemble.

Visually, the E22 system demonstrates Borsani’s mastery in balancing formal restraint with spatial fluidity. Each shelf seems to glide along the uprights, with minimal visible hardware, giving the impression of an “object in suspension.” The enclosed box modules (some with doors, others drawers or drop fronts) introduce a volumetric counterpoint to the planar shelving, providing hidden storage amidst open display. The suspended desk module, in turn, allows a working surface that hovers in mid-air, supported with precision fittings yet appearing almost dematerialized - its edges align perfectly with adjacent shelves, producing a continuous horizontal tension.

The inserted Fabbri panel becomes both artwork and “module,” subtly shifting the rhythm of the shelving while remaining integral to the system. Its dark, gestural surfaces contrast with the warmth of wood and the austerity of metal, creating a dramatic visual counterbalance that enriches the shelving’s expressive capacity.

Functionally, the system is extraordinarily versatile. The height adjustability of the shelves enables different configurations tailored to books, objects, or display pieces. The box modules shield clutter or offer privacy, while the desk component offers a writing or viewing surface, making the E22 both a display system and a micro-environment for work or contemplation.

Technically advanced and highly flexible, the E22 system embodies the ethos of Tecno, a company founded on the belief that design should unite industrial precision with architectural sensibility.

Osvaldo Borsani, trained as both architect and craftsman, was one of Italy’s foremost modern designers, celebrated for merging rational structure with human warmth. Agenore Fabbri, painter and sculptor, brought an emotive, gestural energy that enriched Italian postwar visual culture. Together, their collaboration in this piece represents a perfect convergence of art and design - a system conceived not merely to organize space, but to elevate it.

Dimensions: 493.5 w × 43 d × 288 h cm (≈ 194.3″ × 16.9″ × 113.4″)