Wave by De Castelli: as told by Francesca Lanzavecchia

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Portrait by Davide Farabegoli

Photo by Alberto Parise

With its essential shapes and slow, sinuous movement, Wave breathes new life into the ritual of arriving home. The design reinterprets the archetypal Asian shoebench, elevating it from a useful accessory to a welcoming element in contemporary interiors.

Wave in just a few words.

A welcoming micro-architecture in natural copper there to greet you as soon you’re inside, inviting a whole new ritual around arriving home.

Tell us about the creative and design concept behind Wave.

During the first lockdown, when the Coronavirus pandemic had already profoundly changed our habits and rituals, we were thinking about a piece of furniture that could adapt to our changed needs. The clothes and objects we wear when we’re away from home are the most vulnerable to contamination, which we try to keep out of our homes. Wave is made of natural copper, which has antibacterial properties, inviting us to take part in a new ritual around arriving home and taking off our outer garments, turning these activities into natural, intuitive and pleasurable habits.

Did the study of materials come before or after the actual design of this piece?

The use of natural copper was a prerogative that emerged from the briefing for the Rame at Home collection, of which Wave is part. It’s a material that conserves its antibacterial properties, as the De Castelli research shows. The natural finish that we chose makes it essential, precious and primaeval, all at the same time. Lastly, Wave is lifted by the pierced gradient pattern and the soft, sinuous shape.

What sort of relationship developed between you and De Castelli?

Before I met Albino and his team, I had a lot of preconceptions around metal – a hard material, cold and difficult to shape … thanks to them I discovered the thousands of permutations and shades of a bright, living material that, in the hands of the skilled De Castelli craftsmen, has infinite possibilities for designers; I owe them a debt of thanks because they made me fall in love with a material I didn’t really relate to and now I hope we’ll carry out many more projects together.

How and where do you see this product in 10 years’ time?

We were inspired by the humble, essential archetypal Asian shoebench, which Wave turns into an important welcoming sculptural object. In ten years’ time, we’d like to see it in sophisticated homes, regardless of geographical location. Or why not rework it with different measurements? It could become a long bar counter or the reception/concierge counter in a big hotel.