STIRring Conversations: Rethinking perspectives with Patricia Urquiola

Seated on the rust-coloured sofa from her Plumon collection, while seen next to her is another product from the same collection - a side table with a tactile 3D-printed leg, amid a flurry of people, sounds and showcases, we catch a moment to chat with Spanish architect, industrial designer, and art director Patricia Urquiola Hidalgo at the Kettal stand during Salone del Mobile Milano. 2022. From discussing the idea behind her collection for the Spanish furniture company to how the products align with the sustainability theme of the international design fair, the interview touched upon the crossover of creativity and consciousness, physical and digital, technology and handcraft.

Urquiola who is known for her bright and poetic forms, perhaps more distinguished for sculpting a feminine vocabulary of objects and a generous tactility, is a name that instantly pops up when one thinks of trailblazing creatives from the Italian design scene. The founder of Milan-based Studio Urquiola – a multidisciplinary practice that covers architecture, product design, and installation projects – her works have been showcased in major art and design museums across the world including the MOMA in New York, the V&A in London, the Vitra Design Museum in Basel, and the Stedelijk in Amsterdam. Noted for her design approach that combines age-old craft with contemporary digital techniques and materiality, her sensibilities resonate with clients and consumers globally. Some of the key international brands associated with her include Alessi, Axor-Hansgrohe, B&B Italia, Baccarat, Boffi, Budri, Cassina, Flos, Gan, Georg Jensen, Glas Italia, Kartell, Kettal, Kvadrat, and Molteni.

Speaking with STIR, Urquiola reflects on the things we missed, lessons we learned, and changes we encountered in the last two years of the pandemic. She says, "I think in the last few years when we couldn’t be together, we did a lot of homework. […] In this situation, it’s very important how you wake up in the morning and what kind of purpose or perspective you have. I am a person who has for a long time believed that there is a crossover between crafts, technology, and social values, which is much more interesting now than just the double layer of industrial design. I hope it’s the beginning."

A protagonist of sustainability and the crossover between physical and digital disciplines, Urquiola is of the view that the past and the present should not be seen in isolation but in unison as a driving force of creation in contemporary design industry. “I am really interested in a sensible community working not in physical artefacts but also with mental artefacts,” she tells STIR.

Speaking of tactility and artefacts, Urquiola lets us in on her adventures with 3D printing and material possibilities that manifest in her collection for Kettal. The presentation comprises pieces of outdoor furniture which, as per Kettal, references the ‘characteristic Brazilian spirit’ with features evocative of distant landscapes and cultures. The design of the sofa is drawn from the concept of clothing, dressing, and undressing furniture. Featuring a lightweight teak structure, its regenerated ribbed padding mimics the appearance of a moored outfit. The side tables from the collection explore a ‘productive freedom’ that comes with the marriage of traditional techniques and advanced digital technologies. The tables were developed in collaboration with the 3D printing company La Máquina by Noumena. Speaking of the collection, Urquiola adds, “Putting in technology and sustainable approach, and being simple in so many ways, all these words they are not a conversation, they are a real, physical and approved way of working and speaking.”

Watch the full interview by tapping on the lead video.

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 showcased the best exhibits, moods, studios, events, and folks to look out for. We also had our very own STIR press booth at Salone del Mobile - Hall 5/7 S.14, Fiera Milano RHO.