Abaco by B&B Italia: The Table Designed by Ronan Bouroullec Between Structure and Material

With the Abaco project for B&B Italia, Ronan Bouroullec presents a table that places structural logic at the centre of its expressive language. The 2026 collection stems from a research process that interprets architectural construction not as a technical aspect to conceal, but as a genuine aesthetic code defining the object’s identity.

The design concept is based on the transparency of the system: every component remains visible and contributes to the overall balance through carefully considered proportions and exposed joints. The result is a piece with a strong architectural character, where composition becomes language and structure itself becomes an aesthetic feature.

The dialogue between materials plays a central role. Wood, smoked glass, leather, concrete and lacquered finishes are not treated as mere surfaces, but as active elements within the construction, capable of supporting and enhancing one another. This material interaction defines a solid yet never rigid presence.

The table system is composed of tops, crosspieces and legs, developed in different variations: fully wooden solutions, configurations with lacquered or light grey concrete bases, and versions with smoked glass tops that lighten the overall visual effect while preserving the project’s structural solidity.