B&B Italia Alanda '18 Coffee Table: Reinterpreting a Structural Icon of the 1980s in 2018 Language
A Table That Places 'Structure' on Glass
Alanda '18 is a coffee table where the frame captures attention before the tabletop. While the horizontal plane finished in glass handles function, the lower portion demonstrates how to 'support space' like a model structure. B&B Italia positions this table as a symbolic model from the 1980s, and in the 2018 version, it has returned to the production line while maintaining its original character. It is a type of furniture in the center of a living room where form proposes its role first.
B&B Italia's Grammar: Combining Experimentation and Industrial Production
Since the 1960s, B&B Italia has strongly established its identity as 'a company that researches and develops design and implements it industrially.' In the 1970s, through its headquarters building designed by Renzo Piano and Richard Rogers, it demonstrated that a manufacturing company could simultaneously become a platform for design culture. Against this backdrop, complement pieces like Alanda with strong sculptural qualities have taken on the role of changing the impression of the main collection. For reference, B&B Italia's history and mention of the headquarters building can be found in the B&B Italia 1970s Chronicle, and the background of Piano and Rogers designing B&B Italia's administrative building is confirmed in the Renzo Piano entry.
From 1980's 'Alanda' to 2018's 'Alanda '18'
The starting point of this table is Alanda, created by Paolo Piva for B&B Italia in the early 1980s. The key is the division of labor between 'a light tabletop' and 'a structurally expressive lower section': the metal frame with repeating inverted pyramids simultaneously serves as support and sculptural form. B&B Italia describes the 2018 'Alanda '18' as a 'revisit of the iconic piece that opened the 1980s,' clearly establishing the context as a homage to Piva. The official product description can be found on the B&B Italia Alanda '18 page, and the brand's context of 'Italian Modernism' is further complemented in the Architectural Digest article.
The User Experience Created by Form: A Frame Where 'Support' is Revealed
The lower portion of Alanda '18 features a grid drawn with rods forming four inverted pyramids, creating an impression of extending the center of gravity outward. This effect is even more direct when the tabletop is transparent glass. The surface where objects are placed virtually disappears, and the support structure that makes the table 'table-like' appears front and center. As a result, even when placed directly in front of a sofa, the rhythm of the contours remains rather than a sense of confinement, and the two-size expansion is read as a choice to adjust the same structure 'by area' to match the spatial scale. More detailed product information and specifications can be found at the product purchase page.
Installation Case: The Larger the Size, the More It Functions as a 'Central Piece'
The buyer installed it after delivery was completed on December 1, 2025, with a transparent-tone glass tabletop option in a 120×120×H27 configuration. Summarizing the key points of the review, the advantages mentioned include the frame's lines appearing three-dimensionally from the floor while the sight line remains relatively light thanks to the glass tabletop. Especially since the square floor plan organizes the 'center' in front of the sofa, it is evaluated as suitable for aligning the axes of rugs and sofas.
What Spaces Does It Match Well With
Alanda '18 is closer to an object that structurally anchors the center of a space rather than functional keywords like 'storage' or 'soft touch.' The glass tabletop reduces visual volume, making it easy to highlight the frame's sculptural qualities even in smaller living rooms. Conversely, if surrounding furniture already has many lines and grids, it can appear overcrowded, so it's better to keep either the sofa or lighting as a neat, plane-focused element for good balance. In spaces with 'waiting' time like lobbies or lounges, the structure of this table actually functions as a visual focal point.
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