Francesco Forcellini: harmony between shapes and materials

With several active collaborations, the design of the Milanese studio is characterized by essentiality and the right balance between form, material, and workmanship

De Castelli, Milan Design Week 2022 - Photo © Alberto Parise
De Castelli, Milan Design Week 2022 - Photo © Alberto Parise

Through his projects, Francesco Forcellini seeks to extract the essence of the forms of objects with the aim of reshaping it into new formal expressions capable of innovating the product. The designer, who founded his studio in Milan in 2017, has designed over the years for brands such as Cappellini, Lispi, Bentley Home, De Castelli, Tonelli Design, and has numerous international collaborations underway.

Clamp by Lipsi, design Francesco Forcellini - Photo © Stefania Zanetti
Clamp by Lispi, design Francesco Forcellini – Photo © Stefania Zanetti

Forcellini’s style is distinguished by the exaltation of the material and physicality of his products. Whether it is a vase-container or a four-poster bed, the aesthetics and shape are enhanced by the materials and workmanship chosen. One example is Sculpt, the sideboard created in 2022 for De Castelli, winner of the Archiproducts Design Award 2022, in which the metal becomes a clean but original decoration thanks to the hammering and embossing of the sheet.

Trace by Cappellini, design Francesco Forcellini
Trace by Cappellini, design Francesco Forcellini

Also from 2022 is Stirling, designed for Bentley Home: here the three-dimensionality of the mirror incorporates the typical Bentley curves, which are highlighted by a motif created with laser technology on the two lateral faces of the piece.

Central by Tonelli design, design Francesco Forcellini
Central by Tonelli design, design Francesco Forcellini

Another project, conceived for Tonelli Design and presented this year at the Salone del Mobile, is Split, a family of mirrors characterized by a vertical cut. Within the latter, two inclined mirrored surfaces reflect the surrounding space and reflect each other, creating a dynamic interplay that creates the illusion of being able to enter the mirror.

Bollington armchair & Wilton desk by Bentley Home, design Francesco Forcellini
Bollington armchair & Wilton desk by Bentley Home, design Francesco Forcellini

Another new product for 2024, again for Bentley Home, is the Bollington armchair and the Wilton desk, designed for the home-office environment. In this case, Francesco Forcellini wanted to contrast the dynamism, linked to the speed of the cars, with the solidity and stability, linked instead to comfort. To best represent the concept, the furnishings were designed with very complex shapes, which challenged the production limits but restore movement to the furniture.