70Materia is the perfect combination of contemporary design with the beauty
of a handmade product. It is rooted in a lively dialogue between material and land, between the unique nature of place and the purity of the person who interprets it. For the last edition of Salone Del Mobile and Milan Design Week, C41 Magazine interviewed Giacomo Antonello, Founder of 70Materia, discussing innovation, nature, materials, and the future of the company.

Luca A. Caizzi: Dialoguing with people who create objects is strange. Do you think it is you or nature who creates matter?

Giacomo Antonello: Nature is an unstoppable creative force over which we have no control. 70Materia’s challenge is to establish an ongoing and constructive dialogue with that force to foster a kind of “guided creation” that is harmonious with respect to nature itself but functional for humans. Our highest ambition is to reach a level of co-creation.

LAC: Sand, cement, and water. Purity, tone, and research. How does your creation fit into interior or exterior design?

GA: You’ve just mentioned two key concepts for us: continuity and purity. We try to intervene as little as possible in the purity of the material, simply letting it express itself to the fullest, guided by a craftsman hand that respects and works it. The first concept is continuity: between the surroundings and the artefact; between the outside and the inside of environments; between nature and man. The challenge is to fit into a process that has been unfolding since the dawn of time: transformation.

LAC: How were you present at this last edition of Salone del Mobile? Where were you at?

GA: We were present at CONVEY and presented Satellite. Designed by Enricomaria Todaro, Satellite represents the evolution of the traditional kitchen concept, combining contemporary aesthetics and craftsmanship. We took inspiration from celestial bodies and their motions: the elements orbit around each other and the user is free to arrange and reconfigure the food preparation area according to their preferences. This versatility makes it possible to create alternative cooking areas to the traditional concept of the kitchen, both inside and outside the house. We chose to use authentic materials, aluminum or plywood, a 70Materia TM top, and primary shapes. The result is a modular and dynamic system that is versatile and adaptable to different household needs.

LAC: Your objects can be tailor-made. Can you tell us about a particularly daring project that you have followed especially in terms of measurements?

GA: One of the most significant projects in this respect was certainly the headquarters of Be Advisor, designed by depaolidefranceschibaldan architects. Surfaces in 70Materia were there used to define workspaces, as well as common spaces such as kitchens and services. Floors, walls, sinks, and a sculptural desk in the front office: everything was completely custom-made by our craftsmen. One feature we worked a lot on is the entrance corridor.

LAC: What is the future of 70Materia? What do you envision to become in the near future?

GA: We want to continue a process of research and development. Supporting the continual shifting of the limit of the material’s possibilities is what we have to think about the present and the near future, maintaining an open attitude and hoping for serendipity towards the material, the process, and the encounters we will make. The dialogue between nature and craftsmanship of the artisan is and will be the cornerstone of our vision, working from the perspective of sustainability is a desire and the guide for a quest, being actors of change is the goal of our business activity.