A modern Pantheon and a garden of wonders - explore Buccellati Rosso Maraviglia at MDW23
Photography by Mattia Parodi
A symbol of unparalleled beauty and quality and now a part of the Richemont group - it was the year 1919 when the story of Buccellati unfolded with Mario Buccellati, the brand’s founder, a visionary and “prince of goldsmiths”. This captivating installation beautifully conceived by designer and architect Michele De Lucchi and multidisciplinary studio AMDL Circle seamlessly transforms the terrace into a modern Pantheon enclosing a magical garden of wonders in a red envelope. Founder and member of multifaceted AMDL Circle renowned for its humanistic approach - De Lucchi is a prominent figure and was a part of design movements Alchimia, Memphis and more.
Offering visitors the opportunity to “maravigliarsi” (marvel and rediscover their ability to admire beauty) - this event is truly an opportunity to celebrate two great Italian arts, that of silver and glass. Along with the silver table accessories by Buccellati - the refreshingly new collection meticulously crafted in collaboration with Venini will be additionally unveiled. Masters in the art of glass and born in 1921 in Murano by Milanese lawyer Paolo Venini and Venetian antiques dealer Giacomo Cappellin - Venini is known across the globe for its uniqueness, craftsmanship, cultural excellence of its creations and priceless historical value.
Photography by Mattia Parodi
Curated by Federica Sala - this one-of-a-kind exhibition further weaves together an enchanting botanical installation delightfully curated by Los Angeles-based international landscape and botanical artist Lily Kwong. Since beginning her practice in 2017 - Kwong with her charming creative flair works at the intersection of horticulture, urban design, contemporary art, climate awareness and wellness, reconnecting people to nature through transformative projects. Shedding light and digging deeper into this installation's curatorial concept - the word “Maraviglia” stems from Florentine vernacular which gave birth to contemporary Italian. Did you know that? It refers to the Italian golden age - where much of the urban planning and architecture was merely created to showcase their wealth and creative abilities.
For Milan Design Week 2023 - Buccellati was innately inspired by this ancient value to resurface the human ability to - marvel, value beauty and simply enjoy the feeling of appreciation harmoniously blended with incredulity that arises when one admires an artifact and recognizes the mastery of hands and artistic skills of those who made it. Continuing its path into architecture - Buccellati then intriguingly asked De Lucchi and AMDL Circle to temporarily transform the Portaluppi terrace into an artistic intervention, making it a landmark within the Milanese skyline, part of a continuous and rapid evolution.
Photography by Mattia Parodi
“For Maison Buccellati it’s crucial to strengthen its bond with the city, relate to it and its buildings - we wanted to take this opportunity, in the moment of the year in which Milan becomes more beautiful, to make the historic and already pioneering Portaluppi terrace the representative symbol of a future inextricably linked to the past!” passionately explains Gianluca Brozzetti, CEO Buccellati.
With this, De Lucchi and AMDL Circle brilliantly proposed a magnificent modern Pantheon - an eclectic installation that acts as a red majestic dome for the Portaluppi terrace. With its faceted as well as perforated structure, the entire pergola surface effortlessly reflects the shape of a diamond and stone’s cuts. From below and from the Milanese roofs - protruding cubic forms are visible, recalling the intricately rich interior details of the Roman Pantheon, a true architectural wonder. Piazza Gorani - a surprisingly white location for Milan which overlooks Buccellati’s headquarters and was the last seat of the Roman emperor Maximian - pushed De Lucchi and AMDL Circle to feature a touch of red, an unexpected hue in architecture, fascinatingly chosen by Buccellati and Venini for this extraordinary collaboration. “De Lucchi is a thinker, a master, an architect, with great artistic manual ability. His thought, his almost sartorial approach and his attention to detail instantly rendered him close to the world of Buccellati!” Federica Sala fondly adds.
From the fascinating botanical theme of Buccellati’s tableware range to the extensive space of Portaluppi’s Terrace and the play of lights created by the installation designed by De Lucchi and AMDL Circle - everything was taken as starting point to craft an enveloping soothing green environment that extends over the entire surface. Buccellati therefore invited Kwong to additionally design a stunning path that teeters between a whimsical secret garden and a garden of wonders.
Photography by Mattia Parodi
Buccellati therefore invited Kwong to additionally design a stunning path that teeters between a whimsical secret garden and a garden of wonders. Once on the terrace - visitors will be sure to find themselves transported into an alluring wonderland in a new dimension - covered by the dome of the installation, wrapped in the vivid reds and greens. Along the edges of the garden, Buccellati’s art de la table collections in silver and porcelain will reveal themselves - just like marvelous flowers, together with the contemporary creations exclusively designed with Venini. As one further approaches the edge of the terrace, the fissures that open up on the entire pergola structure will allow them to soak up the breathtaking view across Milan and the misty mountains in the distance.
Buccellati Rosso Maraviglia
19.04.2023 - 23.04.2023
Terrazza Portaluppi, Via Brisa 5, Milano