Undivided attention is a rare commodity in this day and age. That is why a constant hustle and bustle determines our day to day life often accompanied by high phone-levels and an excess of visual stimuli. But this often opens a path to a turn-around trend: one that doesn’t leap out at the beholder but rather convinces by mere understatement and beauty of form grasping the eye and not letting go.
Design is the buzzword, one which distinguishes Marsotto Edizioni. The mother company Marsotto was founded over one and a half centuries ago. The motto of the Edizioni is producing excellent every-day products in natural stone. In April they showed their latest pieces at Milan’s Salone del Mobile.
The theme was tables, as usual in matt polished finished Carrara Marble. This surface treatment is something between honed and polished. Also as usual, some designers were invited to participate. The style guidelines were – also as usual – in the hand of Art Director James Irvine and the entrepreneur couple Costanza Olfi and Mario Marsotto.
„Lino“ is the name Irvine gave his dining table available in four sizes (280 x 110 cm; 240 x 100 cm; 200 x 90; 140 x 140 cm). The height of this and the other tables is a standard 72 cm.
We want to point out not only the details of form…
… but also want to – calmly – draw our readers’ attention to technical questions.
Naoto Fukasawa also designed a dining table in the same dimensions dubbed „King Poodle“.
Jasper Morrison chose a round table-top for his „Pondicherry“ available in three sizes 150, 130 and 110 cm respectively all in a strength of 3 cm. Other creations are available in strengths of 4 and 5 cm respectively, with a weight reduction through special processing.
Another distinguishing factor of Marsotto Edizioni is calmness, or: design should juxtapose ephemerality and presence in the hope of passing on special pieces from generation to generation.
But Irvine and the creative couple do, in fact, leave room for experiments, e.g. David Chipperfield and his modular system „Colonnade“ made of 2 pieces which can be composed as long as needed, whereby the asymmetric element is, mildly said, unusual. With a width of 98 cm and a length of 116 cm it weighs 135 kg. The midsection measures 98 cm x 150 cm and weighs 160 kg.
And finally „Topkapi“ by Konstantin Grcic. Here the legs appear quickly assembled and the table-top merely placed on top of them, as if the painter was on his way to wall-paper the flat.
A glance at details gives a look at one of the technical questions for which the designer had to give answers.
Photos: Miro Zagnoli
(July 2012)