Patricia’s Bohemian Rhapsody

by Thomas Wagner | 15 gennaio 2012

Patricia Urquiola seeks her inspiration in her personal world: "Sometimes," she once said in an interview, "it is something emotional, other times something very simple and quite trivial that gives me the idea. For me, design is a surprising process. You have an idea and mix it up with other ingredients, but you never know what's going to come out in the end." What she thus creates, above all sofas, armchairs, chairs, not to mention luminaires, outdoor furniture and carpets, is always comfortable and perfectly proportioned. And it always comes with a touch of extravagance and the Bohemian. Indeed the special charm of Urquiola's designs stems above all from her very own feel for subcutaneous subjectivity, to be seen in the patterns and ornaments, but also just as much in the refined craftsmanship of the fabrics and textures.

In recent years, not only her armchairs and recliners called "Antibodi" (boasting pieces of felt sewn together to form blossoms) have caused a real stir. With "Tropicalia" Urquiola has taken the structural principle of garden recliners featuring plastic wickerwork from the 1950s and given them a surprisingly new lease of life with colors, freshness and the joy of African patterns.

The careful and yet decidedly radical way in which she brings new air into the middle-class living room and gives it a completely new feel becomes especially clear in the case of her "Bohemian" collection, again created for Moroso. There, Urquiola not only finds a new form for the classic "Capitonné" but also succeeded in conjuring up a product family consisting of sofa, reclining armchair, chaise-longue and armchair, all with upholstery (attached to the seating frames by snap fasteners) and shapes that seem to dissolve into irregular, seemingly chance lines. For all the classical underlying shape, a sofa suddenly looks as though it has hung a shawl over its shoulders – or animal hides reminiscent of Mongolian carpets. This subtle superimposition of materials in forever new variants on a basic underlying element engenders a hybrid mix fueled by different cultures and traditions without trying to emulate the one or completely adopt it. It is above all this luxurious patchwork that now and again gives Urquiola's furniture that nomadic flair, thanks to which she refreshes the otherwise musty world of middle-class homes and comments ironically on them. Above all the Italians love her for the furniture that addresses a new multicultural and cosmopolitan bourgeoisie and for all the playfulness always exudes a certain grandezza. Because her postmodern variations on classics brilliantly combine cultures and epochs, they could be termed a kind of Bohemian Rhapsody.

And these are just some of the reasons why it is no surprise that in the past decade Patricia Urquiola has emerged as one of the best known and most sought after designers active in the field of furniture. Born in 1961 in Oviedo, Spain, she focused from an early date on Italian design. In 1989, having started her studies in Madrid, she graduated from the Milan Polytechnic in architecture having completed her final-year project under Achille Castiglioni; from 1990-6 she worked in product development at De Padova, where she and Vico Magistretti realized their "Flower", "Loom Sofa" and "Chaise Longue" designs. For five years she headed the Atelier Lissoni Associati design section before in 2001, joining up with Martino Berghinz to open her own studio in Milan, concerning herself with design, exhibition concepts and architectural projects.

The Italians have nicknamed her the "Hurricane" because of the way she has stormed through the design scene for years now. Conversely, she holds the fact that Italian manufacturers gladly experiment in high esteem: "Companies here have less fear of risks, they are flexible and move things forward. I like their agility." And Patricia Urquiola is equally successful as an architect, as is shown by the villa she and Martino Berghinz designed in Udine for Patrizia Moroso and her family. Here can we see not only how skillfully Urquiola links the private domain and a representative setting in a modern vein, but also how creates clear sequences of rooms that are decidedly contemporary.

To get an overview of Patricia Urquiola's diverse output all you need do is cast a glance in the Stylepark database. If one also includes her collaborative efforts with other designers, then there are round about 270 products there, for 19 different makers. What better testimony could there be to her own diversity and agility. And Patricia Urquiola is anything but an unknown for Stylepark over and above her work in product design. As part of "Stylepark in Residence – touchy-feely", in January 2007, on the basis of her "Pelle d'Asino" special show (first displayed at the Abitare il Tempo in Verona) her product cosmos was unfurled during imm cologne in the Kölnischer Kunstverein premises. The objects hung like trophies from a transportation belt in the "Dance n.2" installation, slowly circling the room. Again in 2007 she and Martino Berghinz devised the exhibition footprint for the second edition of "The Design Annual" in Frankfurt's Festhalle, which focused on "private identity", how design fosters it, and what its cultural and social reference points are.

We can now look forward to seeing what Patricia Urquiola has dreamed up in response to being made "Designer of the Year". There can be no doubt that with her rhapsodies on contemporary design she knows exactly how to give transient, only loosely linked cultural themes and patterns a decidedly current spin.

www.patriciaurquiola.com

› Printed catalogue

imm cologne 2012, Moroso Articles, Moroso Products, Patricia Urquiola Articles, Portrait

Tropicalia armchair, photo © Alessandro Paderni

Antibodi, photo © Alessandro Paderni

Tropicalia Cocoon, photo © Alessandro Paderni

Tropicalia Chaise Lounge, photo © Alessandro Paderni

Stylepark in Residence – Barock 2004, Cologne, photo © Constantin Meyer

The exhibition-parcours was devised by Patricia Urquiola together with Martino Berghinz, photo © Constantin Meyer

View from above into Frankfurt’s Festhalle, photo © Pietro Sutera

The objects hang like trophies from a transportation belt in the “Dance n.2” installation, photo © Constantin Meyer

Patricia Urquiola, photo © Alessandro Paderni

Bohemian chaise longue, photo © Alessandro Paderni

Bohemian sofa, photo © Alessandro Paderni

”Petals“ serve as upholstery, photo © Alessandro Paderni

Basketry out of synthetic fibers, photo © Alessandro Paderni

The fibers are made out of thermoplastic polymer in various colors, photo © Alessandro Paderni

The Design Annual – inside: private identity 2007, Frankfurt, photo © Constantin Meyer

The exhibition focused on “private identity”, how design fosters it, and what its cultural and social reference points are, photo © Constantin Meyer

Stylepark in Residence – touchy-feely 2007, Cologne, photo © Constantin Meyer

The products are slowly circling the room, photo © Constantin Meyer

“Bohemian Rhapsody” by Queen

Foscarini: Caboche suspension lamp @ Stylepark

Foscarini
Caboche suspension lamp
Patricia Urquiola
Eliana Gerotto

B&B Italia
CRINOLINE chair
Patricia Urquiola

Kartell
Frilly
Patricia Urquiola

Molteni & C
Scriba
Patricia Urquiola

Molteni & C
Codex
Patricia Urquiola

GAN by Gandia Blasco: Mangas Campana @ Stylepark

GAN by Gandia Blasco
Mangas Campana
Patricia Urquiola

Moroso
Bohemian sofa
Patricia Urquiola

Emu
Re-trouvé 565
Patricia Urquiola

Kartell
T-Table
Patricia Urquiola

Molteni & C
Glove low
Patricia Urquiola

Molteni & C
Clip Letti
Patricia Urquiola

Kettal
Maia swing
Patricia Urquiola

GAN by Gandia Blasco: Mangas Largas 2 @ Stylepark

GAN by Gandia Blasco
Mangas Largas 2
Patricia Urquiola

Kettal
Maia day bed
Patricia Urquiola

Moroso
Antibodi
Patricia Urquiola

Moroso
Tropicalia - Daybed
Patricia Urquiola

Moroso
Rift - 001 armchair
Patricia Urquiola

Moroso: Shanghai Tip side table @ Stylepark

Moroso
Shanghai Tip side table
Patricia Urquiola

Moroso: Silver Lake armchair low @ Stylepark

Moroso
Silver Lake armchair low
Patricia Urquiola

Moroso: Sardianian Rugs Peacock @ Stylepark

Moroso
Sardianian Rugs Peacock
Patricia Urquiola

Bisazza
Jardin Bleu
Patricia Urquiola

Moroso
Fjord table
Patricia Urquiola

Moroso
Redondo sofa
Patricia Urquiola

Moroso
Fergana side table
Patricia Urquiola

Moroso: Silver Lake 2-seater @ Stylepark

Moroso
Silver Lake 2-seater
Patricia Urquiola

Moroso: Fergana side table round @ Stylepark

Moroso
Fergana side table round
Patricia Urquiola

Moroso: Silver Lake armchair @ Stylepark

Moroso
Silver Lake armchair
Patricia Urquiola

Artelano
Log side table
Patricia Urquiola

Flos
Chasen T1
Patricia Urquiola

Moroso: M' Afrique Collection - Touti @ Stylepark

Moroso
M' Afrique Collection - Touti
Patricia Urquiola

Moroso
Tropicalia - Cocoon
Patricia Urquiola

Moroso: Lowseat chaise longue @ Stylepark

Moroso
Lowseat chaise longue
Patricia Urquiola

Artelano
Log sofa
Patricia Urquiola

Artelano
Log dining table
Patricia Urquiola

Paola Lenti
Nido
Patricia Urquiola

Moroso
Bloomy
Patricia Urquiola

Moroso
Klara low table
Patricia Urquiola

Emu
Re-trouvé 577
Patricia Urquiola

Moroso
Klara - 491
Patricia Urquiola

Driade
PAVO REAL outdoor
Patricia Urquiola

Kartell
Comback Chair
Patricia Urquiola

B&B Italia
HUSK OUTDOOR
Patricia Urquiola

Flos
Euphorbia
Patricia Urquiola

B&B Italia
DIGITABLE
Patricia Urquiola

Molteni & C: Night&Day letti @ Stylepark

Molteni & C
Night&Day letti
Patricia Urquiola

Olivari
Adamant M216RB8
Patricia Urquiola

Moroso
Tropicalia armchair
Patricia Urquiola

B&B Italia: CRINOLINE with high backrest @ Stylepark

B&B Italia
CRINOLINE with high backrest
Patricia Urquiola

B&B Italia
LAZY-NIGHT
Patricia Urquiola

Driade
FLO CHAIR
Patricia Urquiola

Driade
PAVO
Patricia Urquiola

B&B Italia: LENS side table small @ Stylepark

B&B Italia
LENS side table small
Patricia Urquiola

B&B Italia
FAT FAT
Patricia Urquiola

Moroso
Volant sofa
Patricia Urquiola

Moroso
Smock sofa
Patricia Urquiola

Molteni & C
Night&Day Sofa
Patricia Urquiola

Kartell
Usame
Patricia Urquiola

B&B Italia
LENS bookcase
Patricia Urquiola

Moroso: Biknit chaise longue @ Stylepark

Moroso
Biknit chaise longue
Patricia Urquiola

Moroso
B Side
Patricia Urquiola

Kettal: Vieques rocking chair @ Stylepark

Kettal
Vieques rocking chair
Patricia Urquiola

B&B Italia: FAT SOFA armchair @ Stylepark

B&B Italia
FAT SOFA armchair
Patricia Urquiola

Moroso
Lowland sofa
Patricia Urquiola

B&B Italia
HUSK side table
Patricia Urquiola

B&B Italia: CANASTA tavolino quadratico @ Stylepark

B&B Italia
CANASTA tavolino quadratico
Patricia Urquiola

B&B Italia: CANASTA armchair with folding top @ Stylepark

B&B Italia
CANASTA armchair with folding top
Patricia Urquiola

B&B Italia: CANASTA chaise longue @ Stylepark

B&B Italia
CANASTA chaise longue
Patricia Urquiola

B&B Italia
HOLLOW sofa
Patricia Urquiola

agape
Vieques bathtub
Patricia Urquiola

Andreu World: Nub easy chair @ Stylepark

Andreu World
Nub easy chair
Patricia Urquiola

GAN by Gandia Blasco: Mangas Puf campana @ Stylepark

GAN by Gandia Blasco
Mangas Puf campana
Patricia Urquiola

Axor/Hansgrohe: Axor Urquiola Bathtub @ Stylepark

Axor/Hansgrohe
Axor Urquiola Bathtub
Patricia Urquiola

Moroso: Bohemian Chaise Longue @ Stylepark

Moroso
Bohemian Chaise Longue
Patricia Urquiola

Moroso
Smock
Patricia Urquiola

Kettal
Vieques side table
Patricia Urquiola

Artelano: Log armchair with sheep skin @ Stylepark

Artelano
Log armchair with sheep skin
Patricia Urquiola

Artelano: Log relax armchair @ Stylepark

Artelano
Log relax armchair
Patricia Urquiola

Kartell
Foliage
Patricia Urquiola

+++ NEWSTICKER #218 | 2012 +++

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