SUPERFUTUREDESIGN* is a sister concern of ASZ Architects, founded by Andrea Sensoli with three partners Cecilia Morosi, Iacopo Mannelli and Andrea Rettori. The brand specializes in providing luxurious architectural designs to renowned clients in Europe, Asia, and the Middle East, and prides itself to be one of the best firms in the world for 3D visualization of architectural design.
The company has built world-famous residential and commercial properties, from state-of-the-art apartments worldwide, to the Program for sales points of Estra (the ultimate Italian Energy Authority); to the eco-friendly BETTair-house in Dubai, and many other beautifully cutting-edge projects.
We talk with Andrea Sensoli, co-founder of SUPERFUTUREDESIGN*.
Italian creativity in the heart of the Middle East. Where does this combination lead?
Creativity always leads to somewhere good! And as of creativity, we Italians indeed have much to share. We tend to say the word without paying attention, like a Coleman place, but leaving for more than 10 years abroad I did realize how much our culture is important and it expresses itself in creativity, in all ways, and at all levels. This, combined with the visionary spirit of Dubai and the Middle East in general, can produce very beneficial effects because our problem-solving attitude finds very good soil in the challenging and demanding middle eastern spirit.
You took part in the previous editions of Dubai Design Week with projects and installations. What do you think about this event and in your opinion what opportunities does it offer?
We have been very enthusiastic to take part in three consecutive editions. For us, it was like participating in the big party. An event where all the energy of the design world is catalyzed, something like that happens during the design week in Milan, every year. I think it is a valuable opportunity to enjoy the environment, feeling part of it, but also it’s a good opportunity to be showcased and to remind the entourage about the existence of your project.
SUPERFUTUREDESIGN* was created as a sister company of ASZ Architects: what is its mission? And how is structured its design approach?
The creative component has always been an essential feature of the activity of ASZ. However, we decided to create a new brand to diversify the two branches of activity, because ASZ took too much space in time. The vision has always been to be present to our time, as interpreters of the human story through design. We consider design for its cultural aspects; a fundamental that, giving a set to our living, contributes to the storytelling, like materializing and freezing an intangible part of the human activity. I mean that the constructed space is not for itself, it is functional to other purposes. But it’s by reading objects and places of our lives that those purposes can somehow be read and carried upon in history. It goes without saying that our design wants to be true and meaningful, not commercial but oriented to the qualitative aspects.
Which issues do you find working here and what are the facilities the market offer instead?
The main issue is that a market growing at this pace is demanding for big players, which also means great organizations and huge skill sets. It has been very challenging, but of course exciting, to raise our level so that we could take part in deals involving important international consultants, in projects for great developers.
The good part is that belonging in a system of “doing, where impossible is a word that doesn’t exist and everything is projected to the future, it gives you the sense that there is an opportunity around the corner and, in any case, it’s beautiful just to witness what is happening in such a fast-developing culture.
Is Dubai Expo 2020 changing the city? What should we expect?
I prepared the last exam for my architectural degree on the theme of exhibitions and my project was an alternative design for the Italian pavilion at Seville ‘92. So being much interested and prepared on the matter, I can tell you that I expect the best Expo ever. I must say that we did not feel the Expo as a revolutionary fact. Probably because in such a dynamic scenario Expo does not represent a change in pace but just keeping the pace. The city has been preparing for the event and probably we will have the real feel once the show will be on, but for the moment we keep caring on our activities as before.
