MILAN — Milanese designer Alessandro Stabile and Zilio A&C joined forces resulting in the launch of a pair of distinctive and minimalist projects: the AX stool and the Mule bench family.

The partnership combines Stabile's innovative vision with the craftsmanship of Zilio A&C, founded in 1951 in Manzano, in the heart of the Udine chair district.

"With Alessandro Stabile, there has been a deep harmony of aesthetic views. The iconic simplicity of his design made me feel completely at ease because it perfectly matches our pursuit of timeless forms," said Carlo Zilio, CEO of Zilio A&C. "Both projects are also interesting for their versatility. They are immediately recognizable, opening up to multiple uses."

The AX stool evokes the moment when a wood log, struck by a woodsman's axe, splits in two. It is the temporal crystallization of a gesture translated into a multifunctional tool.

"I fully recognize myself in the sophisticated essentiality of Zilio A&C, and the high-quality craftsmanship of the company, which manages to scrutinize every small detail through ingenious and accurate workmanship, has been a great stimulus for me," says Alessandro Stabile. "For AX, I worked on a strong design concept, deliberately avoiding nuances of meaning so that it would be immediately understandable to the end user. A stackable stool that, with its almost graphic purity, transcends time and paradoxically lends itself to many different impromptu situations, from domestic spaces to contract settings."

The split that characterizes AX suggests its grip for moving and stacking. Its diverse uses include serving as an informal seat in restaurants and bars or exhibition spaces, and in contexts such as libraries and bookstores, to quickly set up a talk area, or even to be freely positioned in home interiors.

Made of ash plywood, AX is available in five customizable tones: natural ash, black, blue, green, and red. The internal construction system prevents the stool from sliding down when stacked, thus protecting the wood from excessive rubbing and wear to ensure its durability over time

The Mule project is a family of ash benches whose milled solid wood sides enhance the sculptural linearity imagined by Stabile.

"The skilled craftsmanship enhances the richness of the material and generates a noble object, composed of two suspended monoliths that support the seat," the designer said. "It's a sort of small temple that, with its solid continuity, conveys a sense of calm and seems to slow down the perception of time in the observer, inviting them to sit for a break in the flow of daily life."

Mule can also be interpreted in many different ways, from a temporary seat, ideal for contract use in a showroom or store, to a domestic surface to be moved as needed in the living room for a book or cellphone. In the bedroom, it can serve as a bedside table or valet stand, or in the bathroom as a storage space. The bench is available in two sizes — 60 and 120 centimeters — in a refined organic and intense palette: olive green, smoke, and rust red, in addition to the classic black and natural ash.