Featuring numerous events that transformed every
corner of Milan into a vibrant carnival, Fuorisalone
2019 took place between April 08-14. The design
week along with Salone Internazionale del Mobile
(International Furniture Fair) organized at Rho Fiera,
have both greeted design enthusiasts simultaneously.
Every year in April, Salone and Fuorisalone organize
the Milan Design Week, which is the most important
event in the world for design. Having started spontaneously
in the early 1980s upon the will of firms
working in the furnishing and industrial design sectors,
Fuorisalone is a series of events that doesn’t
have any central organization and is not managed by
any institution. It expands by incorporating various
related sectors including automotive, technology, telecommunication,
art, fashion and food.
Those willing to participate in the event can be organized
independently or apply to Studiolabo, which
provides a wide range of assistance from the search
for locations to the definition of strategies, and to
special communication plans that can be chosen on
Fuorisalone.
We visited Milan Design Week for you, the readers
of Natura, and accordingly compiled a selection of
special designs where the use of natural stones takes
the center stage… At Milan Design Week, Agape had two different venues that it
chose for relaying research and conceptions on contemporary life,
a true reproduction ground for creativity: Salone del Mobile and
Agape 12. Agape aims to create spaces that attach importance to
aesthetics as well as comfort and functionality.
For the firm showcasing their products at the “S.Project” pavilion of
Salone del Mobile, “Havens”, a project carried out in collaboration
with Wall&deco, created an opportunity to try out their unique
projects and latest collections. The products featured at the pavilion
which came into prominence were:
In-Out marble (Benedini Associati)
Having received awards from The Best Soak Award and Wallpaper
Design Awards 2016, the In-Out bathtub series has been presented
with marble materials as a new solution. The shape and size of the
bathtub are designed to allow using while standing. Thanks to its
high-performance adhesives and components in perfect dimensions,
numerous pieces can be combined in order to create a large bathtub.
Various anchors are used to emphasize the technical aspect of steel
profiles, which have recently become a decorative feature. Products
obtained from white Carrara or Nero Marquinia marbles by default,
can be supplied from other marble and stone types on demand…
DR (Studio MK27 , Marcio Kogan , Mariana Ruzante)
Designed by Marcio Kogan and Mariana Ruzante from Studio
MK27, the DR washbasin’s upper section reflects all the features
that define the projects of the Brazil-based architecture firm with its
fineness and the quality of its details.
Framed by metal plates on three sides, the washbasin has a
rectangular shape and can be articulated to the upper side of the
marble with a concealed drainage and a plate made of the same
material. It can be placed to the center, right or left.
For further information,
BABLED DESIGN STUDIO
In this year’s design week, Babled Design Studio presented visitors
with its products at both Salone del Mobile and “The Prime Mater
Photobooth” installation at Palazzo Litta, focusing on materials,
processes and social environments. It showcased sustainable
production and design projects by combining digital technology
with the quality of its heritage of crafts. In this context, the two
products that came to the fore were:
Supernova
Supernova is a kind of reinterpretation made of a thin layer of
Carrara marble as well as an iconic lighting element that is available
in two different versions. In order to establish a magical balance,
an extremely light marble lampshade is created subsequent to the
calculation process that involved a complex “center of gravity”
algorithm. Producing such a thin product was made possible by
next-gen sculpting techniques and advanced robotic milling. The
use of Carrara marble creates quality value thanks to its smooth and
compact character, which is ideal for performing this challenging
task.
Quark Marble
The coffee tables of the Quark series blend production techniques
with material research in order to create unique monolithic
tabletops. It is aimed to challenge traditional Italian craftsmanship
and design methods by using fundamental materials including
plexiglas, bronze, copper, wood and marble. Additionally, when
combined with the use of digital tools, the Quark series continues
to push the boundaries of innovative materials and methods.
For further information,
BERTILLE LAGUET
Having exhibited her works both at Salone del Mobile and the
Design Switzerland exhibition at Palazzo Litta, the designer’s
most prominent works were:
Juratuf01 and Juratuf02
Laguet, who found the opportunity to conduct research on this
new material titled designflexc, a lightweight and flexible slab,
decided to design innovative coffee tables by using her sound
technical knowledge, which stems from being a blacksmith on top
of her practice as a designer. Having the appearance of massive
stones, these low coffee tables are made of a thin slab shaped on
top of a minimal metal structure.
For further information, CITCO
Having participated in this year’s design week at Salone del Mobile,
Citco showcased its two new collections titled “Citco Design” and
“Citco Prive”. Shining out as yet another example of Citco’s expertise in
creating unmatched designs from high-quality marble, these collections
called for collaborating once again with Anish Kapoor, Marco Piva and
Fabrizio Bendazzoli, in additon to designers who are renowned for their
expertise in architecture and design such as Zaha Hadid Design and Arik
Levy.
Demonstrating how everyday objects can extend beyond their functional
roles to become mere objects of beauty, the Citco Prive collection
featured mirrors, sideboards and marble pieces adorned with inlayed
stones. Despite having different styles, both collections represent
exquisite marble uses that were prepared dexterously. We have chosen
the following products included in both of these collections:
Vortex (Arik Levy)
Inspired by the powerful energy of a vortex, this functional sculpture
has a dominant presence in the space. While the tabletop indicates a
concentration of energy, flow, dynamism and spiral movement, the base
twists and spins around its axe to form a kinetic sculpture. This vertical
translocation turns Vortex into a object to which it is impossible to be
indifferent.
Violet
Featuring Nero Marquina and Onice Rosa fillings, this beautiful piece is
inspired by the Art Deco style and aims to bring light and elegance into
any room in the house.
Sybil and Isobel
Sybil and Isobel are both mirror designs which look similar but are
different due to their geometries, and they both share a spiral decor.
For further information, Hebanon Fratelli Basile 1830R
Having participated in Salone del Mobile for the 10th consecutive
time this year, the firm was founded in 1830; from the time they
started to work for the Bourbon Royal family to our day, they
managed to safeguard the secrets of the craft of cabinetmaking,
and they currently enrich and mix this craftsmanship with the most
important technological innovations in the sector. The know-how,
love and passion that the Basile family has been introducing to
their products for two hundred years emanate from a divine inner
research and style. The firm creates its products by observing the
desires, emotions, evolution and dynamism of its users, and aims
for its products to be comfortable and full of new contents.
The new collections focus on “identity”. Believing that it is much
easier to get lost in an increasingly connected, enthusiastic,
global and culturally omnivore society, the designers discovered
that at the base lies the same universal values that all cultures
have in common, while trying to define the history, culture and
personal roots of people through their studies. They consider their
profession as a means to create a work of art in order for the users
to immerse and identify themselves, as well as to cling and shelter,
by creating a serene and cozy space that would make the user say
“this is my home”.
Another essential aspect of their research is related to the
ergonomics of the kitchen and the living area, which is applied to
their products; collections in each project are defined seperately
according to the personal needs of the users. This year’s collections
called for collaborations with Noemi Verdoliva, Roberto Rago,
NoeSte, Stefano Trapani, Brigitte Legeandre, Neolith Sintheresed
stone, Group Marmi Rega and Quattrifolio. The products featured
in the Natura selection are:
Manhattan
Standing out as Hebanon Fratelli Basile Home’s most advanced
design, this kitchen island embodies ancient craft traditions and the
most powerful rules of minimal design. The harmony between solid
and void increases the value of the natural presence of materials.
Time
Time stands for a product featuring precious marbles (blue
explosion and Orobico gray) and centuries-old coatings, where
technology and ancient cabinetmaking converge, and minimalism
and luxury are successfully synthesized.
Equilibrium
While the most striking feature of the first of the coffee tables,
which shine out with their sculpturelike designs made up of black
Marquina marble and tempered glass, represents a game of
balance, the other shines out with its details with regard to the
coalescene of travertine and once again the black Marquina marble
and tempered glass.
For further information,HOME DESIGN
Attaching value to cooperation and creativity, Franchi Umberto Marmi is a
firm that responds to the needs of the international market and provides
services from quarrying materials from its own quarry to their supply and
production. Operating for forty years, this firm transforms the ideas that
it stimulates in its own imaginary world into concrete actions, projects and
objectives.
Exporting Carrara’s culture and marble to the most prestigious locations of
the world, the firm makes valuable contributions by exalting the elegance
and distinction of marble, as well as its concrete and valuable aspects,
throughout the implementation of many architectural products. The work
team, who are completely reliable and capable of combining innovation
with flexibility, endure dangers and fatigue day by day in order to shape
the future with their hard work.
The collaboration with Paolo Armenise and Silvia Nerbi culminated in a
research that was conducted for marble in all of its originality. Each block
is directly carved at the quarry site by following its original features. This
approach allowed for the creation of unique objects capable of reminiscing
all emotions stemming from their source. The products that made their
way into Natura’s selection for Milan Design Week are:
Fireplace
Built with Zebrino marble, this fireplace brings warmth to users without
compromising on its style.
For further information,
Ritagli
Ritagli is a project based on multifunction and the different ways of living
outdoors depending on the particular moment of the day, event, user or
activities. It is produced as two modules of different sizes where the marble
alternates with the structural iron, which can be positioned and arranged when required. Setting out from a simple surface, it is a design that
can turn into an actual seating unit with back and arms in order to
personalize the space and adapt its use.
Mattis
This collection comprises sofas, armchairs and beds. Mattis series
offers different experiences according to the needs of each user with
their meticuluous productions, soft lines and the angles that made
surfaces come together.
Boffi
Boffi, De Padova, MA/U Studio and ADL presented an architectural
model of life grounding on the purity of water at the pavilion located
in Salone del Mobile.
Piero Lisson plays with past and future visions on an imaginary
chessboard of solids and voids, whites and blacks, while presenting
the group’s furniture collection together with water, the fluid element
of perfection, source of life and fundamental part of architecture.
This year, the project turned back to water, an organic move for
entrepreneurship, while having a highly creative plan that follows
the precise rules of chess. Since the beginning, a move generated the other, culminating in a complex strategy that would bring four
different companies together and ensure their integration. Among
the products emanated from this partnership , the ones that we
chose are as follows:
Combine (Piero Lissoni, Boffi)
Blending compact kitchens with traditional kitchen islands, Combine
is comprised of functional monoblocs in different sizes, counters and
extractable tables. A plethora of materials and accessories designed to
support the cooking and washing processes complement the system.
Extremely light and thin profiles allow for the combination of different
elements, creating a design that resembles a three-dimensional
abstract painting. R.I.G. Modules, Bathroom, Novelties (MA / U Studio)
Materials and their industrial features blend harmoniously in this ultra
flexible modular bathroom system with austere lines, which is designed
to organize storage areas in a geometrical layout both in houses and
office spaces. Each module is designed particularly for the bathroom
as both wall and freestanding compositions, accompanied by a special
washbasin featuring precious natural stone coatings and private storage
units. Bespoke coating alternatives include white Carrara marble,
Greystone marble, Gris du Marais marble and Pietra d’Avola. Connecticut (Jens Risom, De Padova)
De Padova recreated a contemporary version of the coffee table that
was designed by Jens Risom in 1965. Featuring three crossed legs in
solid wood, a round tabletop in marble (Calacatta oro, white Carrara,
Valentine gray, Greystone) or glass, this coffee table’s base is in natural
or charcoal-stained ash wood.
For further information, please visit: www.depadova.com
Boffi, De Padova and MA/U Studio have collaborated with Salvatori for
their products. Natural stone materials used in their products are:
Pietra d’Avola
This dark, intense, elegant and durable natural stone material, which
can vary in tone from grayish-brown to black, is ideal for interior spaces
and areas that are closed to dense traffic.
Bianco Carrara
This world-renowned classic marble is considered to be “excellent”.
As the name implies, Bianco Carrara marble is a predominantly white
stone, featuring beautiful veins in different shades of gray.
LithoverdeR
Contributing to saving the environment by reusing stone offcuts that
would normally be thrown away, LithoverdeR is the world’s first
recycled stone texture.
DURINOXR
When compared to conventional stainless steel surfaces, this material
is twice as hard, which makes it more resistant to scratches and less
impervious to fingerprints. The micro-sandblasting process makes the
surface homogenous, matte, and velvety. This innovative material is
derived from aviation technology and became an absolute innovation
for kitchen counters. ELITE STONE
This pavilion at Salone del Mobile called for wide spaces adorned with
neutral colors, which are interrupted at certain spots by color points.
Precious materials such as Calacatta Borghini, coral black onyx, white onyx
and Sahara Noir are used with the articulation of metals having different
finishes. The elegant and sophisticated atmosphere of the pavilion is
inspired by luxurious hotel lobbies, while the external architecture draws
all the attention thanks to the statue of the renowned artist Stegano
Graziani. Among the products of Elite Stone, we have chosen the
following ones for you:
Coral Black Onyx Bathtub
This sculpturelike bathtub, which is excavated in order to give an elegant
and perfect shape, features a sophisticated style and can be adapted to
contemporary bathroom spaces. White Onyx Bathtub
Created from a block of white onyx, which is carved and shaped to
give shape to a special piece, this bathtub stands out as a freestanding
product for contemporary and stylish contexts.
E-Light
While Elite Stone continues to invest in the research and development of
new products and technologies, the E-Light system shines out among
them as the most innovative product. Its technology is based on over
10 years of research and experimentation in the field of lightweight
and back-lit natural stone, which are protected by industrial patents.
E-Light is a thin element obtained by the lamination of marble / onyx
with glass and an assemblage with a translucent LED panel. Thanks
to the transparency, light weight and super-slim thickness of backlit
natural stones, this innovative product can be applied in various
architectural and interior design solutions owing to its versatility.
For further information, please visit: www.elitestone.it
Stone Italiana
Having introduced its concept titled “Prospettiva Stone” at this year’s
Salone del Mobile, the firm also showcased a new color with the name
Verde Silver. This new color has been the perfect way not only to
enrich various collections (Cartapietra, Terrazzo, Gloss) and the New
Materia Cosmolite, but also to promote the green approach of the firm. Prospettiva Stone underlines Stone Italiana’s concerns over the
environment, which has been expressed more and more lately through
its idea of responsibility throughout the supply chain. Knowing how and
where each material is produced, what quality standards are applied
and how it impacts the environment, constitute the key to awareness
and transparency. This philosophy is given shape through the process
of attaining Environmental Product Declaration for the products and
producing CSR Sustainability Report.
Stone Italiana has given the task of exploring materials to Walter De Silva
and Lorenzo Palmeri. The final design that we have chosen for Natura is:
Teti (Walter De Silva and Mario Antonioli)
De Silva, together with Mario Antonioli, have formed New Materia
Cosmolite, which resulted in Teti, a metamorphic vase. Thanks to its series
of progressive sizes, this piece as an intrinsically simple vase, transforms its
apperance and function to become a source of light, an object holder, a
totem or a monolithic stone.
Teti stems from the encounter of two pyramids interconnected by the
unique skill of the designers. The concept is developed by references
to the Fibonacci sequence and the ratios of the golden rectangle, thus
confirming the existence of the relationship between macrocosm and
microcosm, universe and nature.
The two solids converge perfectly in an unexpectedly delicate and
complex geometrical balance, thus managing to convey the idea of both
surprise and solidity. The Cosmolite slab is the name of the material which generated Teti, a
product that is unable to lose its hypnotic effect and charm, even when
two different colors are blended together. Shining out as a hi-tech product,
Cosmolite is innovative with its visual texture and composition.
For further information, please visit: www.stoneitaliana.com
Japan Creative
“Japan Creative” aspires to reconsider the Japanese sense of beauty and
traditional craftsmanship through a new perspective and present it to the
entire world. Having participated in Milan Design Week at Palazzo Litta, the
team showcased their recently-developed projects emanated from various
collaborations. Among their designs, the piece that made its way into our
selection is:
“Stone Kitchen Tools” (Shimamoto Sekizai Kogyo, Leon Ransmeier and
Wataru Kumano)
Quarried from Mt. Goken, the Aji stone is known as the “diamond of
granites” thanks to its fine texture and elegant luster. Its mottled texture that
enhances the appeal of the material even further, cannot be found in anything
else. With its hardness rivaling quartz and its strong resistance to weathering
and discoloration, the Aji stone shines out as a very precious material. These
quintessential qualities have long inspired the skills of stoneworkers.
Having visited the Aji stone quarry and Shimamoto Sekizai Kogyo, a Japanese
stoneworking company, Leon Ransmeier decided to carry the beauty,
hardness, sturdiness of the Aji stone into everyday kitchen tools (nutcracker,
rolling pin, mortar, pestle, etc.). Together with the craftsmanship and dexterity
of Shimamoto Sekizai Kogyo, this collection of sculptural objects succeeds in
reflecting the visual and tactile qualities of natural stone in everyday use.
