nigel coates conceives furniture for castello di pontentino in tuscany

nigel coates conceives furniture for castello di pontentino in tuscany

situated in southern tuscany, among the slopes of monte amiata is castello di potentino — an historic castle that occupies a commanding position with the ravine below it, and the vineyards surrounding it. while the idea of a fortress is often considered as something of fantasies, castello di potentino is slightly different, and stands as its own living entity. rather than focusing on defense, the establishment seeks to nourish the souls of those that visit it.

‘potentino’ chair and table within the historic castello di pontentino  

exploring its rich history, designer and curator nigel coates has partnered with castello di potentino to envision a family of objects that reflects the notion of the ’21st century castle’. comprised of furniture, lighting, tableware and fabrics conceived by coates, and the castle’s own stable of designers, the collection debuts at milan design week 2015 in a special show entitled ‘paracastello’, set within the H+ exhibition space in milan’s garibaldi district.

‘feral’ table which expresses cubist gestures

coates’ range of furniture for castello di potentino has been envisioned with fine craftsmanship, intelligence, practicality and solidity in mind. coming to life through a collaboration with talented designers and artisans from various fields, the castello di pontentino collection references tuscan sobriety, executed with a touch of surrealist humour.

‘potentino’ chair

the setting of the ‘paracastello’ exhibition will be unveiled in a sequence of neo-domestic settings that speak broadly to the functioning spaces of the castle of which it refers to, with coates’ design objects ‘placed within the scene’. distributed over seven rooms, as well as outdoor spaces, the collection will offer a contemporary perspective on castle living that can be easily adapted to any living environment. collectively, the furniture captures the values of anthropomorphic energy and artistry, with a particular italian slant.

‘potentino’ table

also being presented at ‘paracastello’, are new product from nigel coates edition collection. these include ‘feral’ tables and chairs which express cubist gestures, which marks a turning point for the british designer, indicating a desire to move towards a more rectilinear language of energy and dynamism. continuing with coates’ affinity with the artisanal world, and eye for detail, the ‘feral’ series is produced in a small workshop in tuscany, using walnut, cherry and ash wood.

‘feral’ table

a symposium with nigel coates will be held on thursday, april 16th, from 5PM-7PM in via varese, 12, 20121 milano.
‘paracastello’ is open from april 14th – 19th from 10AM-8PM, daily.

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