fabio novembre, in collaboration with natuzzi, envisions his 'stanze' as a womb

‘intro’ is a dome-shaped futuristic architecture installation adjourned with a deep red leather interior. the project by fabio novembre is part of the ‘STANZE: novel living concepts’ – an event dedicated to the ‘state of interior architecture’ at the XXI triennale international exhibition in milan. each construction showcases the vision of a select practitioner who presents their personal perspective of what a room should should be, encompass and feel like.

the fabio novembre natuzzi installation takes the form of an egg-shaped alcove

fabio novembre worked on the idea of a bedroom, integrating it into the most perfect and ancestral shape. the concept builds upon the form of an egg which represents a source of life and transformation. the outer layer, realized with almax—known for their expertise in mannequin and display design—is made of mirrored metal that conceals a warm intensely red leather room. italian furniture house natuzzi who specializes in leather and upholstery, partnered with novembre to realize the interior of the dome which is a complex puzzle of 120 pieces of red leather, all assembled by hand.

the entrance is guarded by two feminine figures

the intimate, sensual environment is guarded by two feminine figures who stand at the opening of the room. inside the space one can see the features of a face imprinted upon the walls, using its mouth as the opening of the entrance. the circular shape of the construction allows visitors to see themselves within the form of a womb causing them to contemplate and reflect upon the idea of on what a room can be, what it can contain, and how it can relate to us on a personal level.

two statues guard the entrance to ‘intro’
image © designboom

fabio novembre on his living concept – ‘INTRO’:
‘if you think about it, an egg is like a solidified uterus, and the apparent great difference between oviparous and viviparous species is simply a matter of the consistency of the outer membrane. if we then tried to plunder our remotest amniotic memories, it would be easy to show that our earliest perception of space occurred while we were floating about in the warm hollow of an ovoid form and that every concept of domesticity is geared to recreating that condition. however, unlike the gestational sac, the egg retains its formal and aesthetic dignity even after it has carried out its function. perhaps this is why mankind has always been fascinated by its shape, and why all its vital potential has always been associated with the idea of perfection. art has celebrated its iconic value, and architecture – especially in the endeavour to predict the future – has seen its ovoid shape as the perfect formal synthesis. I tried to imagine a bedroom made of leather with high-end saddlery fittings inside a chrome eggshell. the ovoid shape and its reflective power are selling points, and the colour and warmth of the leather literally engulf the visitor, who finds himself inside himself, looking out from within. let us not forget that sleep is the space-time threshold that carries us back to our original amniotic immersion by night, yet compels us to be reborn each day, more human and more sentient than ever.’

fabio novembre and pasquale junior natuzzi with ‘intro’
image © designboom

in the words of pasquale jr. natuzzi, communication and creative director of the brand: ‘fabio’s project captured my attention immediately. his strong, decisive style had an intense impact on me. ‘intro’ represents a virtuosity which allows us to impart on visitors the know-how and craftsmanship that has always distinguished the company’.

the interior depicts the negative of a face

the interior is assembled using a dark red leather by natuzzi

the mouth of the face acts as the entrance to the room
image © designboom

italian furniture house natuzzi was responsible for the interior of the installation

a complex puzzle of natuzzi leather was assembled manually by hand
image © designboom

the construction allows visitors to see themselves within the form of a womb
image © designboom

update: natuzzi presents ‘intro’ by fabio novembre at their flagship store in miami during design miami 2016.

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XXI triennale international exhibition: 21st century. design after design
april 2nd – september 12th, 2016

the XXI triennale di milano international exhibition has a vast program of exhibitions, events, competitions, festivals and meetings throughout the city, in venues ranging from la triennale (palazzo della triennale) to the fabbrica del vapore, pirelli hangarbicocca, the politecnico di milano campuses, the IULM campus, MUDEC, the national museum of science and technology ‘leonardo da vinci’, BASE milano, the palazzo della permanente, the pirelli tower, the ex expo site, the museo diocesano, the pirelli foundation, the university of milan, the accademia di belle arti di brera, the triennale expogate through to the villa reale in monza, the historic site of the first international exhibitions. running under the title ’21st century. design after design’, it touches on key questions, such as the new dramatic art of design, which consists mainly in its ability to deal with those anthropological issues that classical modernity has excluded from its brief, such as death, the sacred, eros, destiny, traditions, and history; the issue of gender in design; the impact of globalization on design; the transformations brought about by the dawn of the twenty-first century and the crisis of 2008; the relationship between city and design; the relationship between design and the accessibility of new information technologies; and the relationship between design and craftsmanship.

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