We share a collection of pieces to see in the Italian design capital this week, from frontrunners and newcomers alike.

CROWDED ELEVATOR

Andrés Reisinger  

One of three designs featured in digital artist Andrés Reisinger’s Odyssey exhibition at Nilufar Depot, the Crowded Elevator chair is a collectible piece set against an otherworldly background. The curvaceous lilac chair, like its counterparts, will be accompanied by three LED walls that display on-screen artworks of ‘unexplored territories’. 

MARTEEN

Molteni&C

Belgian designer Vincent van Duysen teamed up with Molteni&C to bring Marteen, a versatile modular sofa system, to life. ‘Made up of upholstered seating modules, this new range can be offered in infinite arrangements – from single seats such as poufs, to the classic two-seater or islands with 360° seating that become the centrepiece of the living area,’ van Duysen says of the refined design. 

KAMI

Shizuka Saito

With Kami, interior architect Shizuka Saito set out to come up with a modular rug adaptable to many environments. Shaped into right-angle triangles by hand, the patterns of the graphic Italian-wool carpets are achieved using tufting guns. Saito’s work, part of NOV Gallery’s Tech Craft Milano exhibition, represents a dialogue between technological production and artisanal detailing.

KATA

Arper

Displaying a marriage of traditional handicraft and ‘soft’ technology, Kata is the first-ever solid-wood lounge chair offered by Arper. The sustainability minded Altherr Désile Park seat takes reference from artisanal wood and woven straw chairs, reworking their timeless silhouettes through contemporary, eco-friendly methods. Kata sports an oak- and black-locust, FSC-certified wooden frame and tailor-made 3D-knit textile upholstery.

SECRET CUBIC SHELVES

Moroso 

The modular composition of Secret Cubic Shelves – a design envisaged by Olafur Eliasson – is based upon the geometry of the golden triangle. The structure, born from the artist’s Venice Biennale 2017 installation Green Light, is built around a rhomboid-shape negative space. Moroso has released a new edition of the product made entirely out of recycled and recyclable iron. 

PLASTIC RIVERS

Gan 

On show at the Rossana Orlandi Design Gallery this week, Gan’s Ganges rug is the result of a collaboration with Spanish designer Álvaro Catalán de Ocón. The intricate tapestry, made from 100 per cent recycled PET, is the first of four rugs to anchor Gan’s Plastic Rivers collection. The line is aimed at ‘raising awareness and combating the global challenge of pollution through sustainable processes and alternatives’.

AWA

B&B Italia

Naoto Fukasawa’s Awa coffee-table range for B&B Italia is suited to a variety of different settings, from the domestic to the workplace. Refreshed in line with the release of B&B Italia’s Harbor Laidback armchair – a complementary piece also designed by Fukasawa – the coffee tables are rendered in hard polyurethane in 18 satin and glossy colours and have a useful shelf-top.

SILLAGE S’HERMÈS

Hermès 

Sculpted from beechwood, the Sillage S’Hermès armchair takes on an organic form, ‘inspired by faraway places’. Developed by the architects at Studio Mumbai, the chair is clad in cellulose microfibres sourced in Puglia – the birthplace of papier mâché –from 70 per cent recycled materials. Luxe cashmere cushions and hand-painted lines further reflect the French luxury house’s enduring commitment to craftsmanship. 

COVER OPEN

Rimadesio

An innovative open wardrobe, Cover Open was conceived by Giuseppe Bavuso for Rimadesio. Defined by minimalistic aluminium profiles, the design’s objective is to ‘create wardrobe solutions with maximum compositional flexibility,’ according to Bavuso. The recyclable system – which is available in linear, corner and C-shaped set-ups – can be customized in a wide range of materials and finishes.

KIT TABLE

Panter&Tourron

Panter&Tourron turned to an unexpected field of inspiration – aeronautic construction – to bring the Kit Table to life. Incorporating a rib structure typical to the building genre, Kit is both lightweight and space-efficient. Panter&Tourron’s experimentation with such techniques speaks to the designers’ mission to ‘challenge what can be done through certain production methods’. The table is part of Alcova’s Design Switzerland exhibition.

SCHUKO

Jung

Enabling easier hybrid and mobile working, Jung’s Schuko sockets with USB chargers optimize a workday whether it’s spent in the office or at home. With a USB ports integrating type A and/or C, the socket accommodates multiple charges at once – including for smartphones, tablets, Bluetooth headphones and more. The Jung Quick Charge® has an electrical output of 18 watts and can charge an iPhone within a remarkable 105 minutes.

BLUME

Pedrali

Pedrali’s Blume seating collection, imagined by Sebastian Herkner, has been bolstered with the addition of a new armchair. Giving a fresh interpretation to the soft, rounded shapes that define Blume, the chair takes on the characteristic flower-shaped profile in extruded aluminium. The design is oriented for the hospitality and residential sectors, crafted with wellbeing in mind.