Battista Giudici

Battista Giudici and the Lido Lounger

The Swiss metalworker Battista Giudici (1903–1970) combined craftsmanship with a keen interest in functional designs. After completing his training as a metalworker, he founded the Fratelli Giudici workshop in Locarno together with his brother Gino. As well as his work as a craftsman, Giudici was also active in sport: in 1928, he represented Switzerland as a gymnast at the Olympic Games in Amsterdam.

In 1936, he and his brother created the Lido Deckchair, which was developed specifically for the new lido in Locarno. Made from bent tubular steel, this cantilever chair is one of the early milestones in Swiss outdoor furniture design and was patented both in Switzerland and internationally. Its design combines a clean, minimalist form with practical functions: The hot-dip galvanised tubular steel frame is completely weatherproof and sturdy, whilst the curved lines allow for both an upright sitting position and a relaxed reclining position. To achieve this, the fabric cover can be easily repositioned without any mechanical parts.

The Lido lounger’s well-thought-out functionality is also evident when it comes to storage: without the fabric cover, several frames can be slid sideways into one another and thus stacked to save a great deal of space. The original design of the Lido lounger has been preserved to this day and is produced by the Swiss design manufacturer WB Form. The armrests are wrapped in weatherproof PVC cords; in addition, the lounger is once again available in the original brick-red half-linen fabric as well as hard-wearing acrylic fabrics.

In addition to the Lido lounger, Battista and Gino Giudici developed other metal furniture such as stools and tables. The Lido lounger exemplifies Giudici’s approach of combining precision craftsmanship with simple, functional designs – and demonstrates just how timeless a piece of furniture developed as far back as the 1930s could be.