Design Week 2024

by Alice | May 14, 2024 | IN THE WORLD OF DESIGN, LIVING AREA, PRODUCT DESIGN, SLEEPING AREA

The Design Week of this year, just concluded, left us with eyes full of wonder and inspiration, eager to share with you all that we have discovered. In this article, we will try to recount our experiences both from the Salone and the Fuorisalone, although the crowd that filled the stands and the streets of Milan prevented us from seeing everything we would have liked.

This year’s Design week was a real magnet for designers, architects, and design enthusiasts from around the world. Every corner of Milan exuded a fascinating mix of cultures, charm, and originality, making the experience even more engaging. The fair at Rho managed to gather in its countless pavilions the production of Italian and foreign design. This year, unfortunately, the luxury sector was absent, but EuroCucina and the Salone del Bagno shone in the forefront.

As in the past editions of 2023 and Design Week 2022, the leitmotif of the event was sustainability, technological innovation, and functionality, themes that also found resonance in the new approach to digital design. Furthermore, the important role of circular economy, reuse, and sustainability of processes and materials was emphasized, underlining the importance of conscious practices that promote efficient use of resources and minimize environmental impact.

Clever Lamps by iGuzzini and materials by Orac

BATHROOM

The bathroom appears in a never-before-seen guise: ceramic, traditionally candid and discreet, has transformed into a palette of vibrant colors, embracing pastel shades like delicate pink and refined pearl gray, but also bold colors like seductive bordeaux. The washbasins, true design jewels, oscillate between circular and ovalized shapes for countertop models, while those recessed maintain their elegant rectangular geometry, offering a variety of options. Materials such as fragranite and transparent crystal emerge as undisputed protagonists of the contemporary bathroom, adding transparencies and chromatic plays that confer modernity to the spaces. The plumbing stands out for a variety of finishes and colors, with a decrease in stainless steel in favor of bronze coatings, pale gold, and rose gold. But the real revolution occurs in the sanitary ware, which embraces artificial intelligence and home automation with innovative solutions. Companies like Rocha present automated models capable of anticipating our every need, from the autonomous opening of the lid to the cleaning of the bowl, offering an unprecedented experience of comfort and practicality inspired by Japanese culture. The simplicity of old-fashioned sanitary ware thus transforms into a sophisticated fusion of design and technology, reflecting the evolution of needs and desires.

Washbasin Arbi Bathroom, stand alone Washbasin Sanycces e Intelligent Wc by Kolher

Washbasin tops in terrazzo, new finishes of taps and vertical furnishing radiators Tubes

KITCHEN

In the kitchen, island and peninsula continue to reign supreme in our favorite environment, the one that indulges our palate and allows us to relax while cooking. More and more space is dedicated to storing utensils, which are proudly displayed or discreetly hidden behind elegant glass doors, revealing both their contents and the intricate details of the kitchen.

Once again, the enthusiasm for terrazzo finishing is palpable this year, with its rich range of earthy tones captivating the senses. However, we still encounter resistance in convincing clients to fully embrace it. Hopefully, it will finally establish itself in the collective imagination.

Solid top or HPL countertops, adorned in uniform hues, and marble, whether natural or reproduced on ceramic surfaces, remain steadfast choices. Additionally, kitchen spaces are enriched with elegant metallic finishes or claddings in satin-finished iron or steel, aimed at infusing the kitchen with subtle metallic reflections.

For those nostalgic for the ’80s, the comeback of bullnose kitchen countertops, with pronounced edges, is a joy like no other. Even the snack counter embraces softly, with few linear surfaces and many with rounded forms, enveloping the kitchen with gentleness and harmony. Dining tables follow this trend, with few sharp-cornered examples and many gradually rounding off to become almost oval, making room for round tables, true protagonists of the kitchen space.

Thus, we witness a vintage revival in the kitchen, juxtaposed with increasingly advanced technology, as exemplified by TFK – Technology for Kitchen. In household appliances, new features emerge, with vibrant touchscreen displays allowing us to entrust the oven with selecting the optimal cooking settings for our dishes, all while it cleans itself with remarkable efficiency, as seen in the brand-new Bosch oven. The trending finish for appliances proves to be black stainless steel, a matte anthracite shade so deep it verges on black.

HOME ENVIRONMENT

Exploring the world of home furnishings, we encounter a wide range of intriguing options. Sofas, the true protagonists of living spaces, appear increasingly imposing and enveloping, with circular shapes that embrace the surrounding environment, delicately hovering just above the floor without revealing a hint of legs. The bouclé cream upholstery, despite requiring some care in cleaning, remains a beloved choice for its softness to the touch and elegant appearance.

Living Room by Minotti

installation Hommés at Casa del Manzoni

As for materials, wood in its natural tones and reeded wood maintain their prominent role, both in their raw and varnished form. Finishes diverge from stainless steel, opting for softer and more vintage tones like bronze and pale gold, imparting spaces with a touch of refined elegance.

Living Room by Garofoli Gruop e reeded wood detail

Metallic finishes by DeCastelli

The current trend increasingly favors exposed elements over those hidden behind doors, with symmetrical bookcases alternating with metallic supports and wooden backings.

The motto of modern homes, especially for those who inhabit them, is order. Orderliness is sought in open bookshelves and increasingly transparent wardrobes with fewer usable shelves.

However, it should be noted that this aesthetic pursuit may sometimes compromise the actual practicality of spaces. Current trends lean towards larger, freer, and lighter homes, which can detract from actual living volumes, inversely proportional to the prevailing trends.

Moreover, bold, vibrant colors, along with enveloping textures, transform walls and furniture into true works of art, with daring graphics that stimulate the mind while evoking a sense of dream and wonder.

Sofa by Pedrali e cabinet by Driade

Stand di Magis

Wallpaper and furnitures by Moooi at Salone dei Tessuti

FASHION

Fashion is increasingly merging with the world of interior design, creating a unique blend of personal style and home environment. The influence of colors and materials worn is reflected in furnishings, fostering a harmonious synergy between fashion and design. Renowned brands like Hermès and Loewe utilize leather not only for bags and accessories but also for lamps and magazine racks, seamlessly blending fashion and home decor into a singular expression of style. Additionally, raw and natural materials such as bricks, stones, and wood harmoniously coexist with fabric textures and colors. The concept of “vintage” intertwines with the contemporary, creating an intriguing ambiguity between what is past and what is current. Fashion knows no age.

Objects by Hermès – Lamps in leather and paper by Loewe

LUXURY

The concept of luxury in interior design has evolved to encompass not only elegance and opulence but also a relentless pursuit of exquisite materials and unique craftsmanship. Even though luxury products may originate from industrial processes, they must still embody a spirit and execution of artisanal craftsmanship. Every detail matters, down to the hinge of a wardrobe, which must be custom-made. The more challenging the transformation of materials into forms, the more excellent the result, and the more luxurious the object becomes.

The brands that consistently meet these expectations are the major automotive-associated houses. In Bentley and Bugatti, a synesthetic relationship is formed between the vehicle and the furnishings, creating an almost indissoluble and recognizable bond between the two. The clean lines and bold curves seen in automotive design are translated into furniture, with leather inserts found in both cars and desks, and fluid surfaces echoing the natural world.

THE HOUSE BY ELLE DECOR – MATERIAL HOME

Exploring the home according to Elle Decor is a sensory journey through seven distinct environments that reflect our vision of domestic life. Among the standout materials, we find cement, lime, and terrazzo, derived from the mixing, cooking, and recomposition of powders, seamlessly blending with metals, woods, and leather. This creates a play of reflections and material illusions that capture the gaze and stimulate the senses. The colors, initially soft and muted, intensify as we move through the different rooms, giving rise to a crescendo of visual emotions.

Within these spaces enveloped by light and shadow, we find iconic design pieces that lend an aura of elegance and sophistication to every area. Light itself becomes a key element, enveloping and delineating the furnishings, giving them dimensionality and depth. The surfaces, transforming, adapt to the surrounding environments, becoming soft and enveloping in the bedrooms, while wall coverings create cozy and relaxing atmospheres.

Finally, a nod to our connection with nature, with walls clad in materials such as hemp, ash, and cotton canvas, prompting us to reflect on the sustainability of resources and the future of construction, inviting us to create spaces that harmonize with the surrounding environment.

The restaurant area, a creation by Elisa Ossino, stands out for its creative use of geometries and the thicknesses of hand-glazed lava stone. The walls are adorned with decorated terracotta paneling adorned with circles, harmoniously interacting with a diamond-patterned floor. Refined, tactile fabrics with a suggestive painterly effect are used for perimeter draperies and as upholstery for sofas, poufs, and armchairs. The tableware also stands out for its mix of materials, while the lamps precisely illuminate tables and seats.

PALAZZO LITTA AND STATALE

Palazzo Litta stands tall as an embodiment of dreams, where dreamlike installations and artistic performances harmoniously blend with design works, transforming this excellent location into a journey through aesthetics and innovation. Its majestic Baroque structure, imposing and captivating, surprises and enchants at first sight, welcoming visitors into a world of wonders. At the entrance, one finds oneself enveloped by a light installation, “Extraordinary,” which evokes the gracefulness of clouds, conveying sensations of air and warmth with suggestive power. In one of the rooms, the gaze is captured by the iconic mouth-shaped sofa, a lively and dynamic work conceived by Gufram and MotionItalia, which seems to come to life and smile like a real mouth. In the subsequent rooms, projects unfold around three fundamental pillars: aesthetics, functionality, and sustainability.

In the vast spaces of the Università Statale, works by various designers alternate in an artistic and conceptual play, ranging from the luminous spheres by Cyril Lancelin to the chandelier created by Faggini. A particularly evocative installation is “The Amazing Walk,” conceived by MAD Architects studio, which transports the visitor into a world of suggestions, with a mountain reflecting on a water mirror, traversing a suspended path in the void, a metaphorical symbol of journey and exploration of deeper artistic dimensions.

CONCLUSIONS ON THE DESIGN WEEK

We declare the death of white. No longer its pristine brilliance on countertops, in cabinets, nor even in bathrooms. As a white enthusiast myself, I admit it was a blow to the heart, but I will strive to broaden my perspective and imagine a new universe without white, not even on the walls. Natural colors, like rope or brick, are emerging as the new pillars of contemporary aesthetics, becoming a canvas on which to paint our creativity.
Wood continues to dictate the rules, confirming its eternal dominance in the realm of furniture and design.
We conclude with this reflection: the trend of recent years is moving towards an increasingly green future, with a growing focus on sustainability as the cornerstone of the creative and design process. This will be our guide and our responsibility towards the future.

← Vintage Reflections: A Journey into the Interior Design of an Apartment in Milan Light and Shadow: The Magic of a Multifunctional Anthracite Gray Kitchen →

Pleased to Meet you

by Alice | Mar 28, 2023 | IN THE WORLD OF DESIGN, PRODUCT DESIGN

When art chooses wood, a warm and lively material, sinuous and soft shapes born. We are delighted to present you here Pleased to Meet you, an art project by Nelcya Chamszadeh.

THE ARTIST

Born in 1972, Nelcya Chamszadeh, French origin, has lived in Milan for 10 years. After working outside the public scene in a totally private way, she decided to give her work a real container and she opened her own creative laboratory.
This atelier is her oxygen. Here Nelcya brings into questions and materializes her revolt to the conventions of contemporary society and expresses her personal point of view about world’s theme.

By visiting her studio, you’ll be surprised by the quantity of containers and jars filled with meticulously sorted small items. One small object beckons another and develops into an artwork and giving life to a new theme or concept.
An approach made popular from the Dadaists that find, in the works of Nelcya Chamszadeh, a deliberate Pop development thanks to the link with mass consumption and the forms of addiction to which it occurs leads back. Nelcya deals with the great and frightening themes of our society with disenchanted and somewhat cynical irony: death, sex, war, politics… subjects that obsess, that they consume, sometimes, to the point of madness.
One of the cathartic ways out is represented from creation, from letting go freely to artistic expression to escape the depression.

The title of each work plays a fundamental role in the reading and in the understanding of the work itself. “Help!”, “Uffizi”, “Les Connasses”, “You’re fat!” have the intent to guide towards an emotional direction or, for the surprise effect, to force the voyeurism.

our Francesco with the Artist

Pleased to Meet You

“Art is the only time in my daily life where modesty does not exist, where I let myself go totally and feel absolutely free to express everything I feel, my anxieties, my intimacy.
The womb is for me the universal representation of life.
Life that would therefore be impossible without the woman.
It amused me to make it a self-portrait, in which I invite the viewer to look inside, while at the same time looking in the mirror.
In short, a game of voyeurism and intimacy.
One finds, peeping through keyholes, the scenes that, seen through the prism of my anxieties and ghosts, I imagine may have constructed my life.
I wanted to make it a tribute to women, to their primordial role in life, to their strength, their will, their capacity for resilience.
This work is a declaration of love and admiration of women.”

Nelcya Chamszadeh

THE PROJECT

We begin by introducing this project with a quote from Picasso: “The artist is a receptacle of emotions that come from everywhere: from the sky, from the earth, from a piece of paper, from a form of passage, from a spider’s web.”
And I would also add from a piece of wood because that’s where the work of art evolved layer by layer.

The uterus of Pleased to Meet you contains many small microworlds, to be peeked through a mirrored glass that allows a glimpse of its contents.
We had the pleasure of creating the shell of the work and we want to show you the stages of construction step by step.

We started from the basic shape of the uterus that Nelcya gave us and that we made on MDF base.

To this were added several levels shaped for the necessary thickness to house the various wooden boxes.

For these, in fact, an exact space was provided on the back and once “filled” with detail by the artist, they were then assembled by interlocking.

A LED connection expands throughout the structure with an arrival point at each box.

On the front, a wooden template with the locks carved coincides perfectly with a mirrored glass, applied last on the front.

This has the fantastic feature of appearing homogeneous from a distance, while its transparency is perceived only when the LED inside the scene is turned on.

As a finale, the application of many small faces divided into groups on the front.

THE REFERENCE OF WOOD IN THE PROMOTION

For the event, in which Pleased to Meet you was presented, we have created, thanks to the collaboration with LegnoStyle small laser cutted keychain gadgets in which was engraved the instagram profile of the artist and the Misschief collective.

Grazie Nelcya per averci coinvolti in questa avventura 😊

ps: un’altra sperimentazione lingnea a questo link

← Corner kitchen with peninsula: shades of grey and wood Design Week 2023: New trends in the record edition →

Furniture for children according to the Montessori Method

by Alice | Dec 16, 2022 | IN THE WORLD OF DESIGN, LIVING AREA, LIVING THE HOUSE, PRODUCT DESIGN, SLEEPING AREA

Building furniture in Montessori style means creating a child-friendly, comfortable and accessible environment. The lines that characterize these furnishings are simple and the materials are natural, such as wood.

THE MONTESSORI METHOD

The Montessori educational method is based on free activity within an environment tailored to the structural and cognitive characteristics of children and teenagers.
The function of the environment and of the furnishings that complete their spaces is to allow them to spontaneously develop autonomy in all evolutionary areas. The environment must therefore be built in proportion to the child.
It must be beautiful, harmonious and clean, it must facilitate movement and activities, while limiting the tools.
A space free of obstacles and minimal, free to be experienced independently, without the help or interaction of an adult.
Children in these environments are free to choose, create, invent and become aware of themselves and their potential in a process of self-education and self-control.
Montessori pedagogy starts from birth and develops up to adolescence with the aim of making the child not only independent, but also responsible and aware towards individual, but also social growth.

MONTESSORI FURNITURES

A fundamental prerogative of Montessori furnishings is the possibility for the child to reach the object easily and independently for sensory activities.
Then leave it free to be “called” by the object.
Furniture with an impact that is not only physical but also visual, fantastic and emotional.
Elements that become playmates and life companions where adults are guests or spectators in the environment.

BOOKSHELF

To marry the Montessori principles is this bookcase, made at child height in order to encourage the free choice of the favorite book.
All or most of the books are displayed in full view and in an orderly manner, even better if with the cover visible and not on the edge.
The shelves are easily accessible while the closed parts are designed to make opening easy and intuitive.

The “Little Cheerful Bookcase” in the shape of a house has shelves visible in the upper part and lower doors with a laser-cutted handle in the shape of a happy face.
The opening takes place precisely by inserting the fingers in the “voids” of the smiley, stimulating the touch for gripping the doors.
Internally, a shelf is available for any small items. Made of poplar wood it was subsequently painted with non-toxic water-based paints that still allow the natural grain of the poplar to be glimpsed.
All this to introduce the theme of colour, respecting the reference to nature present in the choice of material.

MONTESSORI TURRET

The Montessori turret is also called the Learning Tower.
This is essentially a wooden ladder that allows the child to stand up, in total safety thanks to the side bulkheads.
Thanks to this “elevation from the ground” all the adult furnishings, such as the kitchen top, tables or sinks, also become accessible for the child.
The latter thus manages to carry out, in complete autonomy, various actions such as brushing his teeth, hands or carrying out small household chores which allow him to acquire autonomy.
The steps of the Montessori tower also train the child in the actions of going up and down which he will have to deal with when dealing with higher stairs.

Here is our creation in the shape of a giraffe in which the second step is removable and can be raised according to the height of the child.
This turret is a useful accessory and can also be used as a stool; in fact, the child can sit on the first step and the second shelf acts as a back support.

An example is our giraffe-shaped creation in which the second step is removable and can be raised according to the child’s height.
A multifunctional element, it can also be used as a stool using the first step as a seat, while the second shelf acts as a back support.

MONTESSORI BEDS

The Montessori bed is mainly characterized by its height designed to allow the child to get on and off in complete autonomy.
There are no side bars to impede movement, freedom becomes a design metaphor for essential and intuitive furniture.
There is therefore no back headboard, but the mattress is rather embraced by the surrounding wooden structure.
Montessori cribs can have side bars that give them a cottage look or, as in these cases, an Indian hut.

Lights, toys or possibly a sheet can be hung on the upper bar to underline the feeling of den and protection.
The vision and perception of the child inside his bedroom are therefore total visual freedom of the entire environment and his surroundings.

The bottom is rigid and breathable, becoming an excellent support for the development of the spine.
Although the Montessori bed is extremely safe, also thanks to the reduced height, a useful tip is to introduce it starting from the year of the child when he becomes independent in walking and moving.
Here is another of our articles dedicated to the safety of children in the home.

PIKLER TRIANGLE

The Pikler Triangle is a game-tool created by a Hungarian pediatrician, Emmi Pikler, based on the Montessori Method.
According to Pikler, it was important to follow the pace of development of each individual child, giving them the opportunity to move and experiment with the body and its movements in complete freedom.
In order to express their emotions, the child uses movement as the first means of communication.
For this reason, leaving them free to move and experiment is very important for growth and psychomotor development, as well as relational and emotional.

Here our Pikler triangle, characterized by a triangular-shaped wooden structure which can be associated with a platform-ramp, which hooks onto the pegs of the triangle. The latter can be used by the child to climb, go up or down and in a thousand other imaginative ways.
With this tool, children learn to discover and understand the movements of their body, control and manage movements, coordinate themselves.
It favors the development of the autonomous motor sense when used to climb, go up and down, but it is also an interesting stimulus for the imagination when used as a tunnel or hut, or much more.

CONCLUSIONS ON THE MONTESSORI METHOD

Montessori pedagogy is therefore not only based on independence, freedom and respect for the child’s natural physical, psychological and social development, but also on a sense of responsibility and awareness towards the network that links every small entity to a larger macrocosm.
Children deserve spaces where they can move, play and sleep, wake up and experiment.
Sometimes we think that a newborn baby is small, vulnerable and unable to open up to the world, but that’s not the case at all.
By trusting the child, right from birth, his growth will be balanced and independent and he will feel more secure in each new step.

← The Kitchen Snack Table as an evolution of contemporary Cookery Merry Christmas in Viva Magenta →

A SPACE DEDICATED TO FLORA AND UNDERGROUND

by Alice | Jun 6, 2022 | IN THE WORLD OF DESIGN, PRODUCT DESIGN

As citizens of the world we have the opportunity to live in contact with nature and its luxuriant flora. We can immerse ourselves in a natural environment that is there, has always existed and can be found a stone’s throw from home or a half-day trip if we live in a large metropolis. But do we really know how to recognize all this greenery that surrounds us?

THE MUNICIPAL OBJECTIVE

In the municipality of Ranica an ambitious project was born by the municipal council. Lapping the Parco dei Colli with all its splendor and beauty, the Ranica hill starts from a significant height and slowly descends towards the Serio river. In this very diversified panorama, given by the difference of heights and climatic conditions, we have the opportunity to find a variety of flora that characterizes the different areas concerned. Born from the desire to promote and encourage territorial discovery, a public space dedicated to this was born in the historic center of the town of Ranica and near the ascent to the hill.

FLORA AND UNDERGROUND SPACE

The FLO&S space (Flora and Underground) was born from the creative idea of the architect Patrizia Berera, part of the Network of Botanical Gardens of Lombardy. Not far from our beloved Cartolibreria, it is located in the porch of via San Luigi in Ranica, an old renovated farmhouse in a foothill position. This has a raised access to the courtyard. Not being the multiplex space but developed for a long time as a large corridor, the project concept was able to optimize it by creating a sort of interactive path. Intended for a varied target, mainly school, it aims to show the various elements of flora and subsoil and to introduce their discovery through various communication methods.

THE PROJECT

At the entrance, a walkway that cuts through the entire space guides the user inwards, making the visit even more immersive and evocative. This is made up of different types of stone and wood, the same ones that can be found, in their raw state, in the surrounding area. Among them, Zandobbio marble, Gré strain, cherry wood, oak and fir. The available walls have been divided into macro-areas:

a top view of the hall with and the different exhibition areas.

The entrance was dedicated to welcoming and on the two sloping front walls a small text will explain the objectives and the meaning of the space. On the side, relevant information material are provided. After crossing this corridor, which narrows like a funnel, on the right side (called A) we find a long wall where there is a full-height illustration. Here, based on the elevation of the hill, it shows the species of trees, shrubs and herbaceous plants found in the local flora. This large panel illustrated by us (more details on this here) presents the silhouette of the tree or shrub, the flower and the fruit that allow its recognition and all the flowers and herbs on the ground. Beside the elements we have created small wooden boxes accessible to all for what is tactile communication. In fact, depending on the reference season, there will be flowers, leaves or fruits with which it will be possible to interact. In this way, you will have the perception of the roughness, the smell and the fragility or softness of the blooms that can be better recognized in an excursion on the hill.

In the lower part, on the other hand, there are equipped furniture, which can either act as a “teaching room” or as service furniture for the storage of goods dedicated to space. These low seating elements, also present in the other two spaces that we will illustrate shortly, have drawers or flap opening.

In the second wall (called B) the interaction is not only active but also “creative“. At the user’s disposal there is a blackboard surface and chalks with which to draw the favorite flora element. On the side, however, a box acts as a container for magnets or herbarium, inside magnetic letters or botanical cards that go into the whole theoretical part of the images found in the illustrated wall. This slate can be multifunctional, or at the service of the box with botanical cards or even useful for notices or seasonal thematic updates.

On the third wall (called C), on the other hand, all the issues related to the subsoil are explored. Inside the showcase and on the shelves, common minerals of the area are displayed in their pure state. The left side of the showcase has been deliberately designed with a “variable trim“. This means that the shelves can change their position within the space or be removed completely.

FINISHES AND MADE

Given the very neutral finishes of the space, which see a light gray stoneware floor and plastered walls in the same shade, our furnishings also wanted to be light and bright. Everything is white, with a wooden appeal in the display boxes. This is to let the images and the colorful central walkway be the protagonists of the space.

MULTIFUNCTIONAL SPACE

The space will not only be a mirror of the Ranica’s flora but can also be used as an educational space for workshops and lessons. It will in fact be linked to some projects of the local school circuit. In anticipation of this we have created square tables that can extend, opening crosswise with hinges, to accommodate more users. These tables will be free to stop and arrange themselves, in time of need, with different arrangements. Useful as mobile displays, they will be stored in the small warehouse located at the entrance, mirroring the bathroom.

here some proposals for the spatial arrangement of the open tables

INAUGURATION

Last weekend the FLO&S space was publicly inaugurated by the Mayor and the junta of Ranica. All the actors who have set up the space and will take care of it in the future have intervened. The donations of rare minerals have been substantial and make the space even more valuable. In addition, a list of events is already active starting from summer until next year. We can only encourage participation in events and trust that this space becomes an integral part of our community. Good luck Spazio FLO&S!

← Funeral House SALONE DEL MOBILE 2022 →

Children in safety

by Alice | Jan 20, 2021 | LIVING AREA, LIVING THE HOUSE, PRIVATE APARTMENT, PRODUCT DESIGN

Not all environments may be suitable for the safety of children. Designers are used to designing solutions tailor-made for customers’s needs. However, these can change over the years. In this case, a beautiful aerial staircase in a stately home can become an element of danger with the arrival of the progeny. Here the project of the whole apartment.

the staircase before the intervention

THE CHILDREN

The small creatures under the meter who are experimenting with the use of their body in fact do not yet have the sense of danger. All the elements and objects of the house must be reconceived with their eyes. What can be attractive but fragile and in their reach must be moved, dangerous edges and corners must be covered and empty spaces, in which one can slip and fall, closed or buffered. Every element such as stairs, furniture and hallways of the house must be secured. In this case the danger of the staircase was given by the open part under the middle stainless steel bands of the central barrier, which wind along the entire slope and on the gallery.

house with aerial ladder in child safety

the aerial ladder after

SECURITY

PLEXIGLASS

We have found an effective, very elegant, minimally invasive and inexpensive solution to solve this problem. To secure the ladder we have used 3 mm polycarbonate, sized, cutted and fixed to the inside of the barrier, leaving the handrail and the first band at child height free for the grip. Square elements in Plexiglas were then fixed with stainless steel design studs from the outside of the staircase, leaving the handrail and its central bands untouched and using them as a sandwich thickness. In this way, all the plastic part are fixed and safe. For the balcony we have used 1cm hardened Plexiglas that is more resistant in the case of heavy impacts with objects thrown without reason by our little users. As a fastening system the same as the ladder. Seeing the before and after photos you will notice that these plastic elements seem to disappear within the general view of the house. Only by looking carefully can you see the reflections of the Plexiglas and polycarbonate and the studded squares.

SHAPED CHILDREN’S GATE

For access to the stairs custom-made gates have been designed: one for the lower access and a second for the upper part of the gallery. The gates were made of MDF, shaped and engraved with a numerical control machine and then lacquered with matte orange paint. In the same color tone the other points of orange present in the living area.

The shape of the gates are that of an autumn leaf, its symmetrical veins remain in the center of the design while three holes, always recalling a leaf, are found in the upper part to lighten the element. There are no holes in the lower part to avoid climbing daredevil little climbers. Both gates were fixed to the staircase thanks to wooden blocks fixed together on the upright of the staircase and then painted in the same dark anthracite. At the back of the gates, in a strategic position not reachable by children, there is a sliding bolt for close and open them.

TEMPORARY

This intervention has absolutely not touched the existing staircase and when it will be disassembled everything will back as before. It is a temporary solution but satisfies the eye to the point that it could remain mounted more than necessary. For the moment, the important thing is that the children are safe, free to walk up and down the ladder independently and stay and play in the attic part of the house.

← Best whishes for an authentic Christmas Designing a smartworking corner according to Modulor →

Inauguration of Fausti Terrace surrounded by greenery

by Alice | Jun 25, 2019 | PRODUCT DESIGN, RETAIL, CONTRACT AND RESTAURANT, STYLE TIPS

A month has passed since the inauguration of the Fausti Terrace. We are really pleased to have contributed, in collaboration with Studio GPT and in particular with Lucia Nusiner, master of the landscape, to create this little corner of paradise in the heart of the city.

CONTEXT

The terrace of over 600 square meters overlooks the Sentierone, considered the heart of Bergamo Bassa. One of the most important street for shopping and food services, which still maintains its historical taste. Built in 1600, it preserves original modernized buildings including the Quadriporticus of the 900, in which the Tiziana Fausti Shop is located and its terrace from which you can also enjoy a splendid view of the Upper Town.

CONCEPT

The harmonious botanical arrangement is inspired by the style of the plant designer PietOudolf, the signature of the New York HighLine. Planters in antiqued iron and parquet flooring are added to this, in order to create a common thread in the historical context with a touch of modernity. On the other hand, soft wall lights create a welcoming atmosphere.