Getting the measure of space: over to GamFratesi

We’ve gained a bit of time, given that it’s always a rush to get there. There’s so much to do, not because we’re lagging behind, but because we want everything to be perfect. As far as we’re concerned, it’s a good thing.

Copenhagen is a city on a human scale, where the quality of life is extremely high and it’s very peaceful. Milan is dynamic and you live life at full pelt, it gives off a lot of positive vibes and we realise that there’s never enough time.

It’s a fundamental moment, an appointment that’s also unmissable for those who, like us, live abroad. It’s an opportunity to showcase the projects we’ve been working on all year. We enjoy presenting our latest things, it’s both a presentation and a social event.

Certainly our collaboration with Minotti, a company we’ve been working with for the last 4 years, and we’re also working on new projects with Poltrona Frau. We’ll also be launching two chairs boasting top craftsmanship with a new Japanese firm: the first two collections have been designed by us, the others by the Bouroullec brothers, entirely in wood.

Every company has its own individual qualities and characteristics. With Minotti we work on upholstereds, a cross between indoor and outdoor. In this case it’s a question of fusion, spaces have been brought together without clear demarcations, but the boundaries between indoor and outdoor spaces have vanished. The project has been tackled in the same way in terms of diversification of materials, but the collection has been split. So, again this year some of the elements from the previous year will make way for outdoors. The theme for Poltrona Frau is leather, craftsmanship, a typical leather goods finish, then we will launch a table and a chair in parallel, working the leather like a second skin.

We want to work alongside traditional craftspeople who create some of Japan’s famous models such as  Sori Yanagi’s stool or some of the factories that are working with solid wood. This company’s aim is to take the Japanese soul and  give it an international spin, which is why it has invited two designers to tackle wood differently but harnessing traditional techniques.

Over the last two years, during the pandemic, we’ve carried out several launches without specific dates, fairs or meeting points. But in the end, these launches aside, it was important to meet up again in person, sending this message was fundamental. The Salone remains a great opportunity  for reviewing products, despite the new digital frontier. Even when things are normal, these two elements, real and virtual, have to be upheld, nothing should be off the table.

For us, working at home or in the studio has always been spontaneous. We have our own space. Nowhere has been out of bounds. We saw so many people completely change the way they live, many of them have discovered benefits, we’ve seen people who were used to working in offices opt for home working instead, which means that their domestic spaces have become more familiar. A table isn’t just useful for suppertime, it can become a work tool.

Not much, because for us the home remains an expression of values and functions. It’s interesting to see how people have accepted this new way of life: it’s true that human beings are used to change, but it’s important to remember that adapting oneself isn’t an excuse. It’s crucial to keep up relationships, to keep going out, meeting people and working. We will enter a third phase, which will be a fusion, with digital meetings, open spaces and common spaces. There will be crossovers when it comes to where we eat, work and spend time with our families. We’re designing a hotel in Poland, which will open in mid-2024, and we are devising spaces not just for the guests, but also for locals, where they can meet in intersecting public and work spaces.