formafantasma draws parallels between concrete and alcantara at MAXXI exhibition

rome’s MAXXI museum has launched the second edition of the studio visit project which sees italian designer duo formafantasma engage with the genius of pier luigi nervi. for this edition, the studio was invited to design a space that showcases their interpretation of the italian master’s work. the exhibition consolidates the collaboration between the museum and alcantara — the italian company founded in 1972 producing the homonymous innovative material, offering a combination of sensory, aesthetic and functionality — which started in 2011.

all images courtesy of alcantara

after researching the MAXXI archives, andrea trimarchi and simone farresin from formafantasma decided to confront pier luigi nervi, creating a dialogue between his and their own work which connects craftsmanship, industry, object and user. with it, they aim to create a more critical and conceptual reflection on design. the studio visit project is therefore a real study that can be taken in its double meaning: the physical space and the activity devoted to gaining knowledge.

formafantasma approached the archives of the undisputed master to fully understand his work, discovering new and unexpected analogies with an apparently very different material like alcantara. versatile, functional, suitable for many applications and interpretations, capable of collaborating with other materials: these are characteristics that can well describe the qualities of concrete, of which nervi was a pioneer and unparalleled experimenter in the post-war period, but are also qualities of the alcantara. the result is an installation that recreates a physical and mental environment that highlights the importance a material can have in the work of a designer.

‘structure is the keyword that fuses the two materials,’ explains formafantasma. ‘nervi demonstrated with impressive research made up of tests and calculations, the possibilities of concrete. thanks to his visionary work, our country has been built over the last sixty years. we have tackled the alcantara material with a similar spirit and have studied its vast application potential. but above all, we have experienced what makes it a unique material of its kind, governed by a sort of artificial intelligence that makes it incredibly flexible.’