Flickering tables and pink shelves: an interview with Patricia Urquela

In anticipation of the iSaloni Moscow 2015 exhibition (14-17October) we recall all the most interesting things shown at the same exhibition in Milan. Especially for the readers of etk-fashion.com, the editor-in-chief of the portal Oksana Kashenko interviewed the famous designer Patricia Urquiola, who created an unusual collection of glass furniture for Glas Italia and started a new trend of the season - translucent furniture with a pink sheen. Shimmer - this is how Patricia Urquiola called her collection for Glas Italia. Tables, consoles and shelves change color like a chameleon, depending on the lighting and the position of the viewer. Rays of light, refracting, create dozens of shades and halftones. As a result, objects seem weightless and transparent, then dense and brightly colored. The unusual technical find is complemented by a laconic modern design with . The novelty has become a real thing in Milan, although Patricia Urqueola herself admitted to the editor-in-chief of etk-fashion.com Oksana Kashenko that the decision to collaborate with Glas Italia was not easy: until now she considered glass an uncomfortable material. Patricia Urqueola, designer and architect Spanish by birth and Italian in spirit, Patricia Urqueola is one of the most sought-after specialists in Milan, the city she chose to live and work in. Patricia inherited her love for Italy from her famous teacher, the renowned Italian architect Achille Castiglioni, who is considered the "father" of modern Italian design and with whom Patricia defended her diploma at the Madrid Polytechnic in the late 80s. In the 90s, she worked for De Padova and, together with Vico Magistretti, created designer furniture: Flower, Loom sofa, Chaise and Chaise Longue. After furniture, there came a period of architectural design – showrooms and restaurants. In 1996, Patricia Urquiola became the head of the Lissoni Associati design group, working for Alessi, Cassina, Kartell and other famous brands. Patricia Urquiola’s works were selected for the 2001 Italian Design Fair and for the International Design Yearbook in 1999 and 2001. In 2001, Patricia Urquiola was the president of the jury for the 19th CDIM Design Award and lectured at the Domus Academy. Urquiola now works in her own studio in Milan and creates both industrial design objects and private apartments. We caught Patricia in the Santoni shoe boutique she designed. patriciaurquiola.comSantoni boutique, MilanSantoni boutique, Milan,Santoni boutique, Milan - Patricia,The Santoni boutique has become one of the symbols of contemporary Italian design, and in many ways it is thanks to your design. Tell us a little about this space. This is one of my favorite projects. It is truly very Italian in spirit, because I wanted to convey my pride in traditional craftsmanship and the highest quality, which at the same time looks to the future. On the one hand, it was necessary to make the hall innovative and interesting, and on the other, it should meet the needs of the people who would work in it every day, display their wonderful shoes, and so on. That is, the space had to be both exhibition-like and comfortable. And one more thing: Santoni started out as a brand of high-end men's shoes, so their company still has a very masculine spirit. And I also wanted to preserve this as a feature, the style of the company. And that's where the openness and transparency of the interior came from, to which I added a bit of my favorite geometry - by arranging vintage furniture, my own items, rugs and, most importantly, the clear lines of light shelves and racks that are attached to a modular brass grid. In fact, the task was not so difficult - it turned out that Santoni and I have very similar tastes.Santoni boutique, Milan,Santoni boutique, Milan - Everyone knows thatYou have a huge experience in designing furniture. But at this exhibition you have surpassed yourself. Your collection for Glas Italia attracted everyone's attention. It is comfortable, unusual and very beautiful. Is it really glass? - Yes, it is glass. But at first the idea was not obvious to me. The thing is that I belong to the category of people who do not like to work with glass as a material - it is uncomfortable for me.Shimmer Collection, Glas ItaliaShimmer Collection, Glas Italia -Too cold? - No, too transparent. Too fragile. You see, I don’t like the very idea of using glass or transparent plastic in private spaces. Firstly, it’s too ephemeral - that’s a minus, in my opinion. And secondly, I’m irritated by tables through which you can see the shoes of those sitting. But the specialists at Glas Italia convinced me that glass can be made to be anything, including overcoming its natural shortcomings. It’s very interesting to work with these people, because when you set them unrealistic tasks, they don’t say that it’s impossible, but go away to think about how to make your idea possible and even easy to implement. This is the true Italian approach, the approach of the Renaissance masters. So we came up with such objects, the shape and manufacturing technology of which would allow us to preserve all the advantages of glass: lightness, elegance, reflections and glare - but at the same time eliminate the shortcomings. Technologically, these items are made of multi-layered glass assembled into intersecting planes - they make the light shimmer and create amazing color effects. In addition, the finish itself reflects various colors and ... does not allow you to see your feet when you sit at the table.Shimmer Collection, Glas ItaliaShimmer Collection, Glas Italia Shimmer Collection, Glas Italia -They say you have a very unusual house. What room do you like most there? - My house? Oh! There are actually no rooms as such in my house. It took me quite a long time to come to this decision - a maximally open studio. But when I achieved harmony with myself, I was very pleased. My home is my fortress, and my creative workshop, and a space for relaxation, but there are no boundaries between these zones. I don’t have separate time for relaxation, separate time for family and separate time for work. Everything in one. So, by and large, my room is the borders of my carpet, on which my table stands and my iPad lies. But my favorite place is probably the garden. It’s on my roof - there is a very small flat space with a piece of covered veranda. There weren’t many options. And I made something like a beautiful patio there. That’s where I spend all the sunny and clear time of the year. There are a lot of such days in Milan! Patricia Urqueola's House in MilanPatricia Urqueola's House in Milan