The Middle East’s interiors, design & property magazine

®

The Middle East’s interiors, design & property magazine

®

dhs 20

Dubai Technology and Media Free Zone Authority

identity IssUE 120

YEar ElEvEn

sEpTEMbEr 2013

a MOTIvaTE pUblICaTIOn

Paradise developed: design incorporates natureThe new wet set: bathrooms go beyond groomingFantastic plastic: Claudio Luti’s polycarbonate visionGlobal fusion: trends, concepts, innovations of NOW!

TRENDSTRENDS

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Iconic coffee brand Illy is headquartered in Trieste, one of the world’s most important coffee trading centres.

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Considered to have one of the highest densities of industry in Europe, the Friuli Venezia Giulia (FVG) region is perhaps best known as being the chair capital of Italy. It is also the headquarters for a bevy of global design brands, including Moroso, Calligaris, Nonino, Snaidero, Presotto, Zanussi-Electrolux and Jacuzzi.

Also located in the area are leading food and beverage brands such as Illy and San Daniele, many of which have been in business for decades but constantly dig deep into their cultural and historical roots to look for new trends.

Nestled between Austria, Slovenia, the Adriatic Sea and the Veneto, the region is often referred to as ‘Little Beirut’, in reference to its mixed ethnic, religious, cultural and social groups. This is shown in its determination to overcome all the social, political and economic obstacles with which it has been confronted.

Every year, some Euro 1.2 billion worth of furniture and accessories are generated from this small area in the northeast of Italy, accounting for about 15 per cent of the country’s exports in the sector. This makes it one of Italy’s most important manufacturers and exporters of furnishings.

While FVG is considered to be highly industrialised, the artisanal traditions behind many of the leading brands are strong and a large proportion of the items continue to be handmade or hand-finished by experienced craftsmen who have a unique knowhow in furniture manufacturing and detailing.

Traditionally the region provided textiles, swords, bricks, mosaic and food to the Romans and later to the Republic of Venice. Many of these industries continue to dominate today’s global marketplace; however, more than 90 per cent of the companies are small and are mainly family-owned with less than 30 employees.

The seat of powerInnovation, creativity and evolution continue to be at the heart of Italy’s wealthy, industrialised Friuli Venezia Giulia region, which is home to some of the world’s top designer furniture firms. text: catherine belbin

Driven by the creative energies of Patrizia Moroso, the 60-year-old Moroso company works closely with top designers, including Ron Arad and Patricia Urquiola, to generate artistic, innovative and generally unconventional furniture solutions that many consider to be works of art.

The comfy pillow collection from Academia attracted much attention at the Salone international del Mobile in April.

Celebrating 90 years in the sector, Calligaris regularly collaborates with top design firms such as Pininfarina to create technological advanced and eye-catching furniture.

Designed by Paolo Vernier, the lightweight Nene chair from MIDJ is a contemporary take on a classic. This high-tech chair is available in a variety of colours, that can be personalised with adhesive upholstery pads. MIDJ has earned a reputation in the hospitality sector and has designed chairs for clients such as Manchester United.

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TRENDS

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Academia’s Nesta table lamp is part of a collection featuring hand crocheted light bulb covers, showcasing rope traditionally used in the yachting industry.

Rich in natural resources, the region is home to numerous top brands including leading kitchen manufacturer Arrital. Its AK_04 kitchen, designed by Franco Driusso, won the Good Design 2012 award. Arrital supports the idea that the kitchen is not just a place to cook and eat, but also a cultural hub of the home where people meet for convivial gatherings and rituals in a comfortable setting.

Over the centuries the region has produced several internationally recognised inventors and investors. Arturo Malignani created a vacuum in a glass light bulb, a patent that he sold to Edison, and Udine was the third city in Europe to have electric lighting after Milan and London. Malignani was also a pioneer in hydroelectric power, which substantially helped the development of Italy’s industrial sector.

In 1869, inventor Josef Ressel made the first experiments involving applications of the Archimedes screw for naval shipping, while Baron Pasquale Revoltella from Trieste was one of the financiers of the Canal of 1869.

The chair sector remains important in and around Udine. In the late 1800s, local artisans began working as third-party manufacturers for the Thonet bentwood factory in Austria.

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Established in Pordenone in 1948, Presotto has continuously expanded to offer a wide variety of bedroom and living room furniture. Collaborating with big names such as Marco Piva, Toyo Ito, Simone Micheli and Lorenzo Bellini ensures the pieces are always forward-thinking. Designers and engineers work in tandem with the Presotto Research and Development Centre, which is considered one of the most modern in Italy. The 2013 collection presented at the Salone de Mobile in Milan earlier this year features innovative finishes generated from 3D prints and an irregular-shaped shelving unit that is designed to maximise space while creating a sense of movement and drama.

Potocco's Spring lounge and ottoman.

Designed by Willy Dalto Imago Design, the Aria bathroom collection from Altamarea is a novel take on the traditional vanity unit. The oak leg acts as both a support and a towel rail, while the irregular height and the slim frameless mirror add to the contemporary feel and make it functional and aesthetically pleasing. The collection features the use of cutting-edge materials such as ‘eco-malta’ lacquered and veneered finishes for the cabinets, shelves and washbasins. The company also uses eco-friendly ‘paper stone’ – 100 per cent recycled from paper to create a super strong, high-performance material for use in kitchen and bathroom units.

When the Thonet patent expired in the late 1960s, having mastered the technique of bending wood the Italians began manufacturing their own versions. Also popular at that time was the Chiavarina chair, the inspiration for Gio Ponti’s iconic 1950s Superleggero, which is still produced by Cassina in Milan today.

Udine also played an important role in the development of the folding chair, director’s chair and deck chair.

The chairs were initially produced for the local naval industry, where some of the word’s most innovative cruise liners have been manufactured, including

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TRENDS

TRENDS

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architect Renzo Piano's Regal Princess, which was launched in the early 1990s and represented a new technological benchmark in ship-building and high performance.

Working in colaberation with the Udine, Trieste, Pordenone, and Gorizia Chambers of Commerce, the FVG regional government continues to be extremely supportive of the initiatives and achievements of the highly successful manufacturing industry. As part of their ongoing internationalisation programme, a fund has been established to provide loans and financial initiatives to assist companies in their bids to become more global and to combat growing international competition.

Workshops, training programmes and international networking events are all part of the package that aims to encourage entrepreneurs to develop their websites in foreign languages and to exhibit at world-class international shows and exhibitions.

Entrepreneurs, designers and export specialists from the region will participate in the Hotel Show in Dubai (28-30 September), where their famous skills and expertise in furnishing and accessories will be featured. iD

Located in Sarone, Alea designs and manufactures contemporary furniture solutions for some of the world’s leading offices and hotels. Established in 1973, its collection collection is 100 per cent made in Italy. With a 15,000-square metre production facility, equipped with state-of-the-art technology, the company has the capacity to manufacture 1,000 finished items a day. Alea is known to propose spaces and furnishings that are contemporary, sleek and light – environments that encourage collaboration and harmonious co-existence with fellow workers.