(November 2008) Designer Raffaello Galiotto’s guard-rail is surely one of the more noble examples of out-door fixtures. Not only is the implemented material Botticino Classico Marble one of the finest available. But the sleek design itself has class. And no wonder: it was conceived for a project celebrating the 500th anniversary of the renaissance architect Andreas Palladio the aim of which was to use the artist’s ideas in modern design production.

The project was operated by the Chiampo Marble Consortium (Consorzio dei Marmisti della Valle del Chiampo). The designer was Raffaello Galiotto, famous for his numerous ideas using natural stone. Assistance was at hand from the Andrea Palladio International Architecture Study Centre (Cisa). The pieces were exhibited at the Marmomacc 2008 in Verona.

Galiotto describes his approach to the task on the Consortium’s website: he looked for typical lines in the renaissance architects’ works such as fountains or archways and analysed the curvature of vases. These are the forms he then transferred to his furniture and fixtures. The ideas were implemented by companies of the Consortium.

Andrea Palladio, whose real name was Andrea di Pietro della Gondola, was one of the foremost renaissance architects of northern Italy. His manuscripts were the groundstone for the theories of classicism between 1770 and 1880 prominent in architecture in Europe and North America. Palladio lived from 1508 to 1580.

Website showing the works realized in the project

Raffaello Galiotto (in Italian)

Photos: Raffaello Galiotto