Emblematic of its recently updated identity, Italian design company Mara chose an exceptional designer for its debut display exhibition at the Salone del Mobile in Milan. The work of Ferruccio Laviani, the exhibition set “Transcendence: the fusion of living and working spaces”, effectively embodied the brand’s aim of achieving a harmonious balance between office and residential settings. Within a neutral backdrop inspired by contemporary eco-architecture, display islands representing everyday settings showcased both the new collections and the company’s best sellers, which, though the work of different designers, coexist and interact through a complementary stylistic language.
The inaugural addition to their lineup, the Typo chair by AMDL CIRCLE, the multidisciplinary studio founded by Michele De Lucchi, alludes to a typing error. The piece of furniture itself comes out of carefully considered experimentation, where what might at first seem like a flaw is actually the hallmark of its design, redefining the archetype of the wheeled office chair.
Typo by Mara, design AMDL Circle
The Typo chair brings together contrasting elements, combining the soft lines of its backrest and seat made of wood, one of AMDL CIRCLE’s favored materials, with the angularity of its metal structure. Crafted from square-section steel tubes bent along the diagonal, the structure is a distinctive mark of the brand’s core identity. Notably, both materials were chosen for their sustainability and recyclability at the end of their life cycle. The structure also features a hook made from regenerated cotton webbing that extends from the structure and links to a mechanism within the tube, making it easier to adjust the backrest’s height.
A special Limited Edition of Typo, created in collaboration with Alpi, is also available in the form of three unique models, each crafted from a different type of wood: Alpi Sottsass Grey, Alpi Arcobaleno by Konstantin Grcic, and Alpi Wavy Fir Blue by Raw Edges.
Typo by Mara, design AMDL Circle
Foil by Mara, design Christophe Pillet
Mara’s collaboration with Christophe Pillet, a renowned French designer celebrated for his intense formal refinement and penchant for simplicity, has also led to the creation of the new Foil table collection. Reimagining the concept of a desk, its innovative design seeks to reaffirm the piece’s pivotal role in a space to express and elevate individual professionalism. Entirely crafted from metal and supported by four ultra-thin legs, the Foil table features a flat surface encased in a minimalistic frame. Beyond its aesthetic appeal, the frame also serves a dual purpose of providing structural support while cleverly concealing a built-in mechanical system and any additional features, such as drawers, that the desk may be equipped with.
The Foil table has a completely monochrome look and is available in both fixed and built-in versions (the latter features innovative mechanisms designed by Mara that let the top slide and reveal the storage space underneath). Versatile in its application, it is equally suitable for individual use or within workspace environments, where it can be arranged in multiple configurations to suit various individual needs.
Foil by Mara, design Christophe Pillet
Elle by Mara, design Ferruccio Laviani
Ferruccio Laviani assumes a dual role: both designing the display exhibition at the Milan Furniture Fair and designing the Elle bookcase system, a piece featuring transversal, modular, modern, and lightweight architecture.
Its segmental structure, which permits numerous configurations, seamlessly caters to diverse spaces and requirements, while the piece’s moveable L-shaped elements allow for the creation of either closed units, such as containers and dividers, or open configurations, such as visible shelves. Constructed from metal, the bookcase offers both flexibility with its various configurations and heights and the option to incorporate new equipment over time to create new, customizable systems.
Elle by Mara, design Ferruccio Laviani
Icon by Mara, design Marcello Ziliani
Wrapping up the line-up of new releases is the Icon family of seating in polypropylene, offering a high level of ergonomic design, by Marcello Ziliani. Launched just over a year ago, the collection has since expanded to include the original small armchair together with a complete series of other seat options, including high-back, lounge, stool, and desk variations, all of which combine with a variety of bases.
The project is a resounding success story, having quickly won several prestigious major international awards: securing a spot on the shortlist for both the ADI Design Index 2023 and the Compasso d’Oro 2024, as well as emerging as a finalist in both the Archiproducts Design Awards and the Mixology Awards. Perhaps most notably, the collection earned the coveted German Design Award 2023 in the category of “Excellent Product Design – Furniture,” awarded by the German Design Council.
Icon by Mara, design Marcello Ziliani
The new Icon chair features an articulation between the seat and backrest via the armrest joint, making the project flexible while maintaining exceptional sturdiness and precisely calibrated seat design. The new Icon in in polypropylene also features a soft seat cushion available in the brand’s extensive fabric selection and it facilitates easy stacking by the practical slit between the seat and backrest. Meanwhile, new frame colors, such as terracotta, green, and light blue, as well as classic black and white, are offered in combination with metal bases for a tone-on-tone or contrasting effect. In the high-back version, Icon is also equipped with a high, padded backrest and seat cushion for enhanced comfort.
Complementing these new proposals are of course Mara’s best sellers: the Follow table featuring Mara’s patented mechanical height adjustment system; the Follow Meeting Cone table featuring its distinctive, sculptural conical base; the practical Follow Break table known for its compact dimensions; and the Libro table with its intuitive, safe, and effortless folding mechanism, allowing even large tables to be neatly stowed in a mere 40 cm space.
Photo © Daniele Portanome, Nava Rapacchietta
