B 203

In production since the late 1940s by Rima, the B 203 chair represents a programmatic synthesis of Gastone Rinaldi's methodological research, focusing on the themes of stackability, dismantlability, and structural flexibility of the seat.

The design stands out for an essential structure resolved through the intersection of just two tubular elements. The main innovation lies in the introduction of a seat and backrest shell conceived as a single piece and "suspended" from the supporting frame, a principle derived from deckchair typologies that allows the seat to flex and adapt to the user's anatomy.

From a technical point of view, the aluminum sheet version uses a specific die-cast joint – which bears the stamped 1948 patent number – designed to support the shell and prevent its permanent deformation. There is also the B 203 b variant, characterized by a rigid seat woven in Xiloplast (a thin wire coated with pressed paper and plastic material).

Originally intended for community environments, the B 203 achieved significant prominence. Presented at the 1955 Milan Fair, inside the Aluminum Room in the Montecatini Pavilion, it stands as testament to a design approach that combines the reduction of manufacturing operations with a rigorous formal coherence.