marco piva's aliante table for natuzzi italia changes shape and dimensions

MARCO PIVA JOINS NATUZZI ITALIA’S CIRCLE OF HARMONY

natuzzi italia continues to unveil its 2021/2022 collection the circle of harmony — live the transition. following products created in collaboration with sabine marcelis, elena salmistraro, lorenza bozzoli and patrick norguet, the made in italy lifestyle brand presents the aliante table by marco piva.

when PJ natuzzi — natuzzi italia’s chief creative officer — asked italian designer marco piva to be part of the circle of harmony — live the transition, piva recalls he agreed because he felt they both share the same ideas on innovation, invention, and freedom in design. ‘those were the elements that linked us and in the end, the reason why we succeeded in working together,’ he told designboom while filming the collection’s campaign in puglia.

THE ALIANTE TABLE HIGHLIGHTS THE ESSENCE OF MEDITERRANEAN DINING CULTURE

the aliante table by marco piva for natuzzi italia addresses the need to design — from a multifunctional perspective — flexible furnishings capable of overcoming the boundaries our current homes face. the table reinterprets the essences of mediterranean dining culture where it is a symbol of meeting, exchange, and conviviality, and allows it to adapt to different needs.

‘the idea was to create a concept that reinterprets the table as a dynamic element of the house,’ marco piva continued. ‘from the beginning, we wanted to create a table that could change, not only in shape, but also in dimensions. so we went through a very interesting — and also complicated — investigation into mechanical aspects in order to allow the table to change from one shape to another. we also worked on the engineering aspects of this procedure with the final look of the table always in mind.’

TRANSPARENCY ADDS A LAYER OF EMOTION TO THE TABLE

the selection of materials embeds the aliante table with honesty. the mechanism that allows the top to be extended is not only functional but also aesthetic. when topped with the smoked glass, it becomes completely exposed, underlying natuzzi’s attention to innovation and the needs of modern living. its ability to extend allows the table to transform the shape of the top, in an ever-changing architectural game.

‘there seems to be a contradiction because in the table we combined materials that could clash somehow,’ piva explained his choice of materials. ‘but I believe the transparency of the glass is giving a very clear idea of the investigation that we did for the mechanical aspect that seems to be easy but it’s, in fact, quite complex. the glass gives transparency, which is a very sincere characteristic. it is not lying about what is hidden, it is not covering what is usually hidden. we wanted the mechanical aspects to have a nice and easygoing movement, but at the same time to develop the emotionality while softening the metal components.’

‘it is actually the transparency of the glass the one that makes easier the transformation of the table,’ piva said. ‘the catch is that through the glass you’re not only looking at the mechanism, but are also perceiving the wood. you will continue to discover that there are no screws and no nails, just the perfectly shaped wood. these two elements are giving a rational approach to something that is very emotional.’

the harmonious contrast between the solid wood base and the smoked glass or ceramic top emphasizes the contemporary vibe of the project, in which even the choice of materials becomes a tool for expressing one’s taste in the domestic spaces.

‘I created the term “mediterranean rationalism” for this project’, concluded marco piva. ‘I thought about the ability of objects to be multifunctional, but also to have their own personality, thanks to a very strong aesthetic element within them, which translates into a lifestyle element. the table is also a place of sociability par excellence, especially in mediterranean culture, where tables are synonymous with inclusion, hospitality and sharing’