SolidNature presents 'Monumental Wonders' by OMA and Sabine Marcelis

Naturally found materials, across different periods and styles, usually manage to render spaces with a character and aesthetic that encourages introspection and expression of emotions. Whether they are shaped up to feature as utilitarian furniture design pieces or assembled into decorative combinations, their charm is unmissable and their meditative aura prominently striking. SolidNature’s upcoming presentation at Alcova during Milan Design Week 2022, touted ‘Monumental Wonders’ and characterised by spartan features and minimal ostentation, reflects a similar identity. The collection, designed by OMA and Sabine Marcelis in collaboration with SolidNature, is a combination of some organically shaped pieces and linearly sculpted indoor items, reflecting thus a combination of wildness and tameness in nature that helps maintain a balance. “The design explores the possibilities of natural stone, from the unfettered expressivity of a raw block of marble to the creative reuse of leftover off-cuts and stone dust,” says Ellen van Loon, partner at the Dutch architecture firm, OMA.

As part of Fuorisalone 2022, Alcova, a platform for independent design and designers, built under the tutelage of Space Caviar and Studio Vedèt, will present the natural stone brand, SolidNature’s ‘Monumental Wonders’ from 5 June to 12 June 2022. This collaborative collection of objects will decorate five different rooms within Alcova’s Lavanderia building in Milan, Italy, and create a stirring experience through the presentation of natural and semi-precious stones that are carefully selected, sculpted and placed. Designed as an overall experience instead of as solitary objects, the design and art exhibition is also an attempt to showcase the different ways in which naturally occurring materials can be presented as art.

“Monumental Wonders is the result of SolidNature’s constant pursuit of beauty and craftsmanship. Our constant research to develop cutting-edge solutions that highlight the versatility and uniqueness of natural stone informs our exhibition at Alcova where we aim to show that the impossible can be made possible through experience, creativity and ingenuity,” says David Mahyari, CEO of SolidNature.

At the entrance of the exhibition, visitors will witness a 3D art installation assembled using nine different types of onyx slabs by OMA and displayed on the entrance wall. The skillful usage of SolidNature’s materials to craft this entrance portal sets the stage and expectations for everything that’s in store at the exhibition. The first room of the exhibition will house Dutch designer Sabine Marcelis’s artistic rendition of a bathroom chiselled out of Pink Pale Hue Onyx. Designed as a monolithic piece that can be viewed and admired from all directions, the totemic piece takes on the role of a sculpture. “There is, for sure, a clear intent in everything I design. It’s very much about getting to the core of something and stripping back any decorative elements. I always design things with function in mind, but maybe when you see the installation in person for the first time, it doesn’t look like the most functional thing. It’s a delicate balance of aesthetics, materiality, form language, and function,” says Sabine Marcelis, Founder of Studio Sabine Marcelis, about her exquisite pink bathroom creation that fulfils its designated role without compromising with its artistic expression.

Reiterating their expertise in creating functional spaces and objects, OMA’s ‘Balance’, a multi-functional cabinet made out of a combination of Satin Verde Marble and Fresh Flow Onyx, which can alternatively be used as an open shelf and a closed cabinet from its two sides, is balanced on a rotatable support, and challenges the laws of gravity. Another piece by OMA, namely ‘Inhabitable’, is a bed crafted out of two key elements: Satin Verde Marble and a block of Dark Emerald Onyx. Cleped with an adjective that appears to be in dissonance with the desired characteristics of a bed, ‘Inhabitable’ features as a block with several hidden functions that remain concealed under its clean design and can be unravelled by shifting parts of the object to reveal designated storage spots for certain everyday objects. A third piece, ‘The Technological Stone’, designed by the architectural firm, is a block of natural stone that houses a power plug, thus posing as a physical entity where nature and technology meet. Apart from featuring as individual entities within the exhibition space, these luminaires will also light up all several areas of the exhibition.

The final room at the interactive design event will exhibit the unravelling of these special stones that can be used to create myriad mystical creations that also serve pragmatic purposes. Set up as SolidNature’s own Lab Room, it will display samples of marbles, arranged according to their hues and gradients. Designed as a space for experimentation and interaction, visitors will be able to witness and learn about two specific techniques of working with marble dust: first being the casting of dust with resin to create unique textures and second, mixing nascent marble dust inside a case to generate new colourways of stones.

‘Monumental Wonders’ presents itself as a story of stone. While one corner will inform visitors about the kinds and types of natural stones and stone dusts that are available to play with, another corner narrativises the creations that can be chiselled out of them. Featuring designs that cater to primal as well as extant man-made needs, the exhibition presents itself as a potent example of using aged and tested legacies and materials against the latest technologies to beget emotive creations.

The exhibition ‘Monumental Wonders’ will remain on display at Alcova’s Lavanderia building from 5 to 12 June 2022 during Salone del Mobile.Milano.

STIR takes you on a Milanese sojourn! Experience Salone del Mobile and all the design districts - 5vie, Brera, Fuorisalone, Isola, Zona Tortona, and Durini - with us. STIR’s coverage of Milan Design Week 2022, Meanwhile in Milan showcases the best exhibits, moods, studios, events, and folks to look out for. We are also excited to announce our very own STIR press booth at Salone del Mobile - Hall 5/7 S.14, Fiera Milano RHO.