Avatar executive desk by i4Mariani with saddle leather covered leg

Six centimetres of top: why Avatar reads heavier than it is

i4Mariani

Umberto Asnago

Executive desk only
Avatar Most chosen configuration Executive desk only
£ 25,155

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Trade terms for professionals and design studios

Executive tops in this catalogue are usually three centimetres. Avatar doubles it: six centimetres, in sizes of 220, 240 and 265 cm by 120 deep. Seen from the side that figure changes everything, because a top of that depth stops reading as a surface laid on legs and starts reading as a mass in its own right — which is exactly the balance the design is after, set against a leg that is itself a solid volume.

That leg is rigid polyurethane formed in a mould, covered in saddle leather or leather and standing on a black painted steel plate. Tops come in saddle leather, in veneer with an integrated leather writing pad — a 100 × 100 front extension beside them —, or in veneer with crossed grain; standard woods are striped black walnut and ebony type. Designed by Umberto Asnago in 2015, Avatar reaches international projects through La Mercanti, for rooms where the desk is meant to be the argument.

Technical information based on data declared by the manufacturer.

Collection: Avatar
Manufacturer: i4Mariani
Design: Umberto Asnago, 2015
Type: contemporary executive desk, conference tables and storage
Top thickness: 6 cm (2.4 in)
Desk sizes: 220 · 240 · 265 cm (86.6 · 94.5 · 104.3 in), depth 120 cm (47.2 in)
Tops: black melamine coated panel (saddle leather and leather version) or particleboard (veneered)
Top options: saddle leather · veneer with leather writing pad · veneer with crossed grain
Legs: rigid polyurethane formed in a mould, covered in saddle leather or leather, on a black painted steel plate; 82 × 33,5 cm (32.3 × 13.2 in), h 68 cm (26.8 in)
Front extension: 100 × 100 cm (39.4 × 39.4 in), h 74 cm (29.1 in)
Saddle leather: stitching only in the saddle leather version, symmetrical pattern on the top
Standard veneers: striped black walnut, ebony type; other finishes on request
Pedestals and cabinets: black melamine frames, sides always covered in saddle leather or leather, black lacquered plywood drawers
Handles: solid black walnut, or lacquered to match the saddle leather or leather
Modesty panels: 89 · 109 · 134 cm (35 · 42.9 · 52.8 in)
Fixed pedestal: 60,5 × 110 cm (23.8 × 43.3 in), h 68 cm (26.8 in) · Sideboard: 228,5 cm (90 in), h 68 cm (26.8 in)
Cabinets: low 172,5 · 228,5 · 284,5 cm (67.9 · 90 · 112 in) (h 82,5 cm / 32.5 in); medium 228,5 cm (90 in) (h 119,5 cm / 47 in) with flip-up door; high with open units 118,5 and 228,5 cm (46.7 and 90 in) (h 198,5 cm / 78.1 in)
Low tables: 60 × 60 and 120 × 60 cm (23.6 × 23.6 and 47.2 × 23.6 in), height 40,5 cm (15.9 in)
Conference tables: rectangular and round

La Mercanti Srl — trusted supplier for design and contract projects since 1997.
San Benedetto del Tronto (AP), Italy · +39 0735 753833 · info@lamercanti.com
Supply, quotations, specifications and project support across the UK and worldwide.

Documents and Catalogues

Avatar-Crossing Catalogue i4Mariani Finishes & Materials i4Mariani Case Studies Avatar CAD & 3D Files

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FAQ

Why is the top twice as thick as usual?
Because the design is built on balance rather than lightness. At six centimetres the top has enough visual mass to hold its own against the moulded leg, which is a full volume rather than a frame. A thinner top would make the same leg look oversized.
Does the thickness change between sizes?
No: 220, 240 and 265 cm are all 120 deep and 6 cm thick. The proportion between top and leg therefore stays constant as the desk gets longer, which matters when several offices on the same floor use different sizes.
What are the three top options?
Saddle leather across the whole surface; veneer with an integrated leather writing pad; or veneer with crossed grain. They are three different propositions rather than three finishes, and the choice is best made with samples on the table.
How is the stitching arranged on a leather top?
The manufacturer specifies stitching only on the saddle leather version, laid out in a symmetrical pattern across the top. Soft leather is supplied without stitching, so the two versions are immediately distinguishable.
Can a full executive floor be specified from this collection?
Yes. Beyond the desk there are front extensions, pedestals, sideboards, low, medium and high cabinets up to 198,5 cm, low tables and both rectangular and round conference tables, all in the same finish family.

How to specify Avatar for an executive project

Five steps built around the two elements that define this desk: the mass of the top and the volume of the leg.

Judge the desk in profile
The six centimetre top and the moulded leg are what make Avatar recognisable. Look at the side elevation before anything else, since that is the view a visitor gets on entering.
Set the relationship between leg and top
Same material for both, or deliberate contrast between leather leg and veneered top. This single decision changes the character of the whole room.
Choose the top type
Saddle leather, veneer with a writing pad, or crossed grain veneer. Bring all three samples to the meeting rather than describing them.
Extend into the room
Front extension, pedestal, sideboard and cabinets from 82,5 to 198,5 cm. Round and rectangular conference tables complete the same language.
Finish on the handles
Solid walnut or lacquered to match the leather: two opposite characters. La Mercanti supplies the samples, because a handle is judged in the hand rather than on a screen.

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