Film sequels tend to be disappointing, because they can seldom rival the original (though not in the case of The Godfather). But the second chapter of the saga by Natuzzi is a true masterpiece. The characters have been carefully chosen with close attention, composite but complementary. The plot flows in an intriguing way, full of surprising twists. The orchestration of the multiple voices is sublime, generating a clear, single message: “Live the transition.”
The second act of “The Circle of Harmony” follows in the footsteps of the first, which made its debut last year: to create an “olive grove garden, a garden of talents, a green external resource composed of creative personalities,” says its maker, Pasquale Junior Natuzzi, Chief Creative Officer of the brand.
Timeless by Natuzzi, Design Lorenza Bozzoli
Eight authoritative figures on the international design scene have been summoned to take part in this “round table,” a place of exchange, ideas, experimentation and above all convivial sharing, driven by the desire to nurture that concept of “harmony” that is part of Natuzzi’s DNA and its philosophy. With Apulia (in the clear reference to the olive grove) always in the background, as an intangible feature of every project, a metaphor of values and traditions, and of course the birthplace of the company itself.
Lorenza Bozzoli, Formafantasma, Massimo Iosa Ghini, Sabine Marcelis, Patrick Norguet, Marco Piva, Elena Salmistaro, Marcel Wanders studio: these are the players who have joined forces in eight new collections for 2021/2022, with their own stylistic approaches, in a jubilee of forms, colors, materials and inspirations.
Juno, Sinuosa collection by Natuzzi, Design Massimo Iosa Ghini
Aliante by Natuzzi, Design Marco Piva
“It’s been great to have these creative voices and minds in our Circle of Harmony, so sophisticated and timely, people who are probably setting the course of interior design and production on an international level – says Pasquale Junior Natuzzi. – The main theme of this Circle is precisely the search for diversity in terms of stylistic signatures and DNA, for creative experimentation guided by that bond of friendship that is fundamental to achieve excellent results. Which I suppose is what all brands should be seeking.”
Posidonia collection by Natuzzi, Design Elena Salmistraro
Poly collection by Natuzzi, Design Patrick Norguet
Not by chance, “Harmony” is the term that sets this initiative apart: “Today more than ever before, there is this desire for harmony and more humane relationships. I want to discover the dimension of “family feeling,” also in design collaborations. Over the last year it has been difficult, because we were lacking that sense of physicality that not only makes design thinking more emotional and engaging, but is also useful for the development of products: we have had to create new collections through photographs, conference calls, videos.
Personally, however, I think this has led to the most beautiful line ever created by Natuzzi: it moves forward with my idea of narrative design, and of the evolution of the stylistic approach of Natuzzi, in a blend of creative talents who believe in our project. In this dynamic, you can delve into a ‘new Natuzzi’ (with the exception of certain items that may seem even more daring, like the Block sofas by Sabine Marcelis or Apulo by Formafantasma). There is an idea of comfort, of organic lines of products that have their own elegance, sometimes more contemporary, more casual in other cases, but also with our identity.”
Block by Natuzzi, Design Sabine Marcelis
Apulo by Natuzzi, Design Formafantasma
The eight names were given a shared brief, to rework and interpret through their own attitudes and vision – a line of thinking also reflected in the slogan of this second chapter: “Live the transition”: the concept of harmony has been set into the present, and is thus associated with the idea of a “new normal.” What does function, wellness or sustainability mean in the “here and now”? The eight creators have given form to hospitality, to inclusion and an idea of “slow living” (values always quite alive in Mediterranean culture), in furnishings rich in overtones and implications.
Lorenza Bozzoli and Massimo Iosa Ghini have explored wellness design; Sabine Marcelis, Marco Piva and Elena Salmistaro have come to terms with the need for more flexible, multifunctional furniture; Patrick Norguet and Formafantasma have worked in pursuit of a harmony between areas for relaxation and zones for work; and micro-living, seen as innovative solutions that never sacrifice fine craftsmanship and design, has provided inspiration for Marcel Wanders studio.
Eufolia by Natuzzi, Design Marcel Wanders studio
“We wanted to stimulate the concept of transition. For me, change is not like the first and second reels of a film – it is a single tracking shot. We shouldn’t imagine that the scene will change from one moment to the next. Instead, we have to get used to interpreting the seconds, the instants, and living them to the fullest. This is what ‘transition’ means to me. It is saying: ‘don’t think too much about a new era, stay in the present, play along with it, savor it, because the present is what we are experiencing right now.’ It means not expecting things to implode, to change or to go back to the way they were. When we thought about the digital dimension, there was the fear that paper might disappear, but now – paradoxically – there is more paper than before; we worried that e-commerce would replace physical stores, but that hasn’t happened. The solution lies in being balanced. This is the concept we have interpreted, which has guided us in this creative contamination, sustainable and in harmony.”
