FLORENCE FURNITURE FAIR 2003: MADE IN TUSCANY With an affluence in continuous rise and 220 exhibitors, the Florence Furniture Fair 2003 at Fortezza da Basso, legitimately has become one of the most important appointments devoted to furniture and interior design. It's an opportunity both as for the architects and the designers, and as for the enterprises that can propose in this magnificent frame the best of the own productions and the last tendencies in the design to a large public. Between innovation and tradition, this year, one of the more interesting novelties, has been Made in Tuscany. This competition for students and aspirants designer - taking advantage of precious synergies between academic world and productive world -, has given, to the selected projects, the opportunity of being realized and exposed inside the manifestation in the Arsenale Pavilion. The winner projects o fMade in Tuscany competion are resulted, by order: Simone Alessandrini with Dami, Simone Ferrini with A new line for an old tool and Takeshi Izuhori with Pinox. Dami, the first one classified, is an object that expresses an aesthetic metaphor for other objects of common use and for objects of popular tradition. The project, through a happy synthesis of simple and functional elements, is a balanced result borning from the use of several common technologies used for a long time in the Tuscany production. A new line for an old tool has been rewarded for the careful analysis of an object of common use from the Tuscany traditions. The project has carried to the elaboration of a new object in which we can find morphologic meant and innovation. Pinox has convinced for its ironic interpretation of Pinocchio - the famous "burattino", symbol of the Tuscany tradition -, and for its ergonomic and innovative conception of the function of the handle that suggests an unusual application projected in the future. The other selected project are: Mi mesa es tu mesa by Antigone Acconci and Riccardo Bastiani it is characterized from solid and linear shapes. An object that - also belonging to the tuscan handicraft traditions - valuing - in an innovative way - the ancient concept of conviviality. Intrecciare Relazioni - by Niccolò Bernabei and Fiorenti Hortopan -, suggests, using chestnut basket weaves, an alternatives sitting line of ancient Tuscany tradition able to maintain alive the handicraft abilities with a clear ironic connotation. Fib-On - by Simone Alessandrini - allows a remarkable flexibility of solutions and functions for the variety of the colors and the morphology of the pillows. Its modularity creates, moreover, a remarkable freedom of use for customers. Armadietto (Cabinet) by Hayato Ishii conjugates the Japanese tradition with the from Tuscany handicraft proposing a multifunction object, free for flexibility and aggregations. Portapane (Bread holder), a protagonist of the domestic life by Claudia Amadori and Simone Ferrini propose itself as an object of common use that seems contemporary and also recalling typical images of the tuscan tradition. Bau-Bau by Alexander Menchini with Giuseppe Di Somma designer is a sort of comic strip that represents an amusing seat for child on the topic of his more faithful friend, the dog. The ludic character of the object suggests different uses, also with various materials. Sediolino by Fabio Tavanti extracts from the classic chair a flexible proposal. A simple object that lends for likeable metamorphoses. Made in Tuscany Competition has been organized by ExpoLab in collaboration with Department of Technologies of the Architecture and Design Pierluigi Spadolini, Isia, University of Florence, Tuscany Region. Salone del Mobile di Firenze Forte Belvedere, Firenze 22 - 30 marzo 2003 www.salonedelmobile.com

Testo:  Gabriella Masiello  I. II. III. IV. V. VI. VII. VIII. IX. X. In cooperation with: Ignacio Diez de Tejata M.Angeles Fernández Alvarez TOP