ALESSANDRO MENDINI PROUST MONUMENTALE

Photo Alberto Ferrero

Once defining himself as a “designer of a milky way”, Mendini is an artist who pursues a range of interests, with notable passions for literature, architecture and design. Mendini considers himself a “magazine designer” after his work with Casabella and Domus throughout the 1970s and his work to steer the magazines in the direction of radical, functional and rational design.

ALESSANDRO MENDINI PROUST MONUMENTALE

Photo Alberto Ferrero

Alessandro Mendini led art direction for Bisazza during the late 1980s, and under his direction  Bisazza was one of the first companies who looked to leading architects and designers for artistic advice developing from then on collaborations with a variety of personalities in the world of art, architecture and design such as Sandro Chia, Ettore Sottsass, Jaime Hayon, Marcel Wanders and Alessandro Mendini himself.

Convinced that architecture does not originate from the city but from the human body, the “centre of all spatial interest,” Mendini has carried through a number of architectural projects, including the tower in Hiroshima in Japan, the Groninger Museum (Holland 1989-94), the Louisiana Museum (Denmark 1996), the Arosa Casino in Arosa (Switzerland 1997), the Maghetti-neighborhood in Lugano (Switzerland 1999). His project for the Subway of Naples (2001-2003) was presented at the Biennial of Architecture in Venice (2002) and was awarded a gold medal for Architecture at the Milan Triennial (2003). He was also twice awarded of the Compasso d’Oro (Golden Compass Award): in 1979 for his theoretical analyses and in 1982 for design.

“Mobili Per Uomo” (Furniture for Man), a notable project from Mendini, is made up of nine out-of-scale sculptures in yellow gold mosaic designed and created between 1997 and 2008. The project started as a symbolic expression of the essentials of a man’s wardrobe: Giacca, Scarpa, Guanto e Testa pensante (Jacket, Shoe, Glove and Thinking Head, 1997) and was later complemented by Lampada e Tazzina (Lampshade and Cup, from the Nuovi Mobili per Uomo – New Furniture for Man series, 2002), Stella (Star, 2003), Cappello (Hat, 2004) and Borsa (Suitcase, 2008).

ALESSANDRO MENDINI MOBILI PER UOMO

Photo Ottavio Tomasini

The entire Mobili per Uomo collection is now showcased in Vicenza together with the Proust Monumentale, the famous Proust armchair originally designed by Mendini in 1987 with Studio Alchymia, produced by Bisazza in an oversized version for the “Art of Italian Design” exhibition in Athens, October 2005.

Entrevue, installation designed by Andrée Putman for Bisazza. SuperstudioPiù Milano. Photo by Paolo Veclani

In the 1980s, Putman rediscovered several major designers, interpreting works by Eileen Gray, Robert Mallet-Stevens, and Mariano Fortuny.

As an interior designer, her most significant realizations include Morgan’s Hotel in New York, the first designer’s hotel ever, the Centre d’Art Plastique Contemporain in Bordeaux, the furnishings for the interior of the Concorde for Air France, the Pershing Hall Hotel in Paris, the Blue Spa and the swimming pool of the Bayerischer Hof Hotel in Munich, the boutique Guerlain in Paris, many private residences and recently also “The Putman” skyscraper in Hong Kong.

Andrée Putman’s eclectic career includes collaborations with prestigious luxury companies, namely: Christofle, Gaia & Gino, Louis Vuitton.

The best expression of the collaboration with Bisazza over the years is expressed with the two tables, Zenith and Correspondances, that the French designer created for Bisazza Home collection and signature patterns included in the 2009 Mosaic collection, as well as some luxurious projects.

Andrée Putman Designs with Bisazza:

Zenith and Correspondances – by Andree Putman

Displaying pure, essential lines, furnishings created for the first time for Bisazza by Andrée Putman – the French darling of design acclaimed around the world – express the sophisticated, unique style which has always been her calling card, elevating her to the status of veritable icon of elegance.

Zenith, round table in white corian with Bisazza glass mosaic in 24 carat yellow gold. Design by Andrée Putman for Bisazza. Photo by Paolo Veclani

Entrevue, installation designed by Andrée Putman for Bisazza. SuperstudioPiù Milano. Photo by Paolo Veclani

The Zenith and Correspondances tables, designed by Putman, reveal their classic identity through a contemporary look.

A light source, coming from the gold mosaic, is the element of seduction in Zenith, the round table produced in corian and proposed in two color versions: white corian with yellow gold mosaic and grey corian with white gold mosaic.

For Correspondances, the lacquered wooden writing desk available in four color versions, the predominant decorative motif is alternating mosaic tiles, each model featuring two contrasting colors: black and white, blue and white, black and grey, each with a single gold tile “set” into the surface. The original arrangement of two overlapping surfaces gives movement and versatility to this item of furniture.

Correspondances, lacquered wooden black desk, internal side in Bisazza black and white glass mosaic with a single tile in 24 carat yellow gold set into the surface.
Design by Andrée Putman for Bisazza. Photo by Paolo Veclani

New Bisazza Pattern Designs by Andrée Putman

ALTERNANCE NOIR & BLANC, BLUE, GRISE

Using a simple decorative element which, repeated and alternated, reminds one of the keyboard of a piano, this refined pattern conveys rhythm and movement.

ALTERNANCE NOIR & BLANC, Bisazza glass mosaic pattern. Design by Andrée Putman. Photo by Paolo Veclani

Designed by Putman, this pattern is available in three color variations: Alternance Bleue, Alternance Grise, and Alternance Noir & Blanc

VIBRATION NOIRE, GRISE

This design is created with small squares in classic chromatic tones, which overlap to form the contemporary optical effect of a double chessboard.

VIBRATION NOIR, Bisazza glass mosaic pattern. Design by Andrée Putman. Photo by Ottavio Tomasini

La Maison Guerlain, Paris

La Maison Guerlain, located in Paris, is listed among the most luxurious, wonderful creations in the world.  Opened in 1939 at 68 avenue des Champs-Elysées, above the store, the Beauty Institute was redecorated in 2005 by Andrée Putman and Maxime d’Angeac.

The first floor was conceived as the heart of the place:  a spectacular, luxurious temple dedicated to beauty with walls, ceiling and floors all covered in shimmering Bisazza 24kt gold mosaic tiles.

Maison Guerlain, Paris, design Maxime d’Angeac and Andrée Putman. Copyright L’Institut de Guerlain

For the Milan Furniture Fair 2009, held in April, Bisazza presented to collection “Digital Memories,” three new pieces of furniture designed by Boontje for the Bisazza Home Collection.

For this debut collaboration, each piece expressed his romantic and poetic style, storage units distinguished by functionality and essential lines, enhanced by new decorative mosaic patterns.

Recently, the Dutch designer has collaborated with many world-renowned companies committed to design, including Moroso, Swarovski, Meta, Fiam, Artecnica and Habitat.

A number of objects design by Tord Boontje are on show in various important museums and art galleries around the world, including the Victoria & Albert Museum and the British Council in London, the MoMA in San Francisco and MoMA and the Moss Gallery in New York.

Tord Boontje has received numerous international awards including the prestigious Elle Décor Design Awards in 2008.

Night Vision Commode, cabinet clad with Bisazza glass mosaic, interior in lacquered wood with profiles in steel.
Designed by Tord Boontje for Bisazza Home. Photo by Paolo Veclani.

Dark Waters Table, coffee table with storage clad with Bisazza glass mosaic, interior in lacquered wood with profiles in steel.
Designed by Tord Boontje for Bisazza Home. Photo by Paolo Veclani.

Summer Trees Commode, cabinet clad with Bisazza glass mosaic, interior in lacquered wood with profiles in steel.
Designed by Tord Boontje for Bisazza Home. Photo by Paolo Veclani.