THE FUTURE EXHIBITED

Reflections on the evolution of living space

 

In the year of its 90th anniversary, Cassina reflects on the evolution of living space and the ever-changing relationship between man and his environment, with a multi-dimensional representation that imagines the future of interior design based on changes in behaviour and socio-economic conditions. The culture of intentions introduced by Mario Bellini in 1976 when he presented his “Libro dell’Arredamento”, marking the transition from the single-piece production approach to an inclusive vision of coordinated furniture systems, resounds in the pages of the book “This Will Be The Place”, in which five influential personalities from the fields of art, design and architecture question what is to come. The result of this investigation is translated into five housing concepts - ‘Free Flow’, ‘Artful Living’, ‘Playground’, ‘Back To The Roots’ and ‘Bed Time’. This forward-thinking compendium celebrates the company’s ability to innovate and its desire to keep looking to the future, exploring imaginary yet realistic perspectives that project the modern relationship between time and space into the not-too-distant future. These narratives bring to life a playful installation, conceived with Patricia Urquiola, to celebrate Cassina’s anniversary: a viewpoint that goes beyond the concept of static display, engaging the visitor in a metaphorical and interactive journey.

Cassina 9.0 is also an ironic and fun tale, linked to the passing of time yet capable of exploring the past, present and future behaviours that shape our relationships with the objects and spaces that surround us. From a return to Nature and going back to one’s roots as a solution for a sustainable future, to the synthesis of the ‘bed’ as a single spatial device around which all life’s actions will be focused. And from the progressive destruction of the boundaries between public and private, to the paradoxical visions of domestic spaces where analogue and digital grounds are seeking out a new possible relationship

Cassina 9.0, presented at the Fondazione Giangiacomo Feltrinelli, as symbolic place of creative research and sharing, stands as a synthesis between the past, present and future, for an extra-ordinary storyline that connects Italian design to the pace of progress and to new ways of life.


Ph. Omar Sartor