Latest news with #Flexform
Korea Herald
11 hours ago
- Business
- Korea Herald
We don't need more obejcts, just better ones: Antonio Citterio
Italian designer and architect shares his philosophy working for high-end furniture company Flexform, which launched its Seoul flagship store in May Behind companies that manage to build a legacy and maintain the quality of their products, there are often people carving out the company's identity and helping to write its history. For Italian luxury furniture company Flexform, designer and architect Antonio Citterio is one such person. Flexform was founded in 1959 by the Galimberti brothers in northern Italy, and is renowned for its high-end sofas, armchairs, tables and beds. Last month, the company launched its brand in Seoul with the Infini Cheongdam flagship store, one of a series of flagship stores opening around the world. 'Flexform's uniqueness lies in its quiet consistency. In more than four decades of collaboration, we have developed a shared language based on measured elegance, comfort and timelessness. It is a company that does not follow trends,' Citterio said in a recent interview with The Korea Herald in Seoul. The brand's signature sofas, such as Groundpiece, Soft Dream, Perry, Gregory, Asolo and Camelot, have been around for decades, and were created out of the designer's observations of people — the way they live, sit, rest and gather. 'Groundpiece, for instance, was born from observing the everyday: how a sofa isn't just for sitting, but for reading, relaxing, even working. I rethought proportions, making it lower and deeper, and introduced more informal elements,' the designer said. Since its launch in 2001, Groundpiece has become one of the most sought-after sofas by the company. Gregory, a sofa that features leather straps, is an example of visual expression of craftsmanship and quality, 'balancing between technical precision with material sensitivity,' Citterio said. 'It is never about decoration; it is about making each component meaningful. In all these projects, the goal is the same: clarity, comfort and design that stays relevant over time,' he said. The designer noted South Korea's growing appreciation for fine art and high-quality design aligns naturally with Flexform's values. 'South Korea is an extraordinary cultural landscape: design-aware and deeply connected to both tradition and innovation,' he said. 'Flexform speaks a language of restraint, continuity and subtle luxury, and I believe that resonates with the Korean sensitivity to beauty, calm and authenticity in the domestic space.' His design practice traverses different fields. An architecture graduate of Polytechnic University of Milan, he is a co-founder of ACPV Architects and was a professor of architectural design at the Mendrisio Academy of Architecture in Switzerland. In fact, the design fields he bridges share a common aim — to improve the way people live through intelligent and coherent design, according to the architect. 'In Italy, there has never been a strict separation between architecture, interior and product design. They are different scales of the same conceptual process. 'When I design a chair or a sofa, I don't isolate it from its surroundings. I think about the space it lives in, the gestures of the people who use it, and how light, proportions and relationships shape the experience,' he said. In a world flooded with designs sporting loud aesthetics and where people can easily obtain objects or furniture with a single click, Citterio's designs stay grounded by his philosophy: clarity, durability and timelessness. 'I have always thought that creativity must exist inside the industrial process, not outside of it — that is where true innovation happens. When each component of an object has meaning, structural, functional and aesthetic, the result is not just elegant, it is durable,' he said. 'I believe the world does not need more objects. It needs better ones. Better means designed with care, with awareness of how people live, and with the intention to last. I would like to be remembered for creating work that endures not through recognition or style, but through coherence,' said Citterio.
Web Release
26-03-2025
- Web Release
If Paradise Had a Postcode: Introducing the New Four-Bedroom Landaa Estate at Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Landaa Giraavaru
Discover 'a sanctuary within a sanctuary' to lounge, laugh and let loose. That's the invitation at the newly reimagined Four-Bedroom Landaa Estate at Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Landaa Giraavaru. A sun-drenched retreat on the island's southeastern side, the resort's largest and most elevated accommodation is now available for bookings. Expanded oceanfront spaces and a bold new design concept – set against the idyllic beauty of the Baa Atoll UNESCO Biosphere Reserve – embody a fresh vision of group and multigenerational island accommodation. Out front, 80 metres (262 feet) of private white-sand beach gently slopes into the shimmering lagoon. Parallel to the water lies a 20 metre (65-foot) lap pool with sunken lounge, waterfall and vast sundeck. Above, a rooftop terrace offers dreamy sunset views. In between, innovative indoor-outdoor areas span from a breezy living and dining pavilion to air-conditioned library and kitchen. Altogether, the 800 square metres (8,611 square feet) plus 2,000 square metres (21,528 square feet of outdoor space at Landaa Estate offers a singular sanctuary of sequestered connection for up to 9 adults, or 8 adults and 6 children. An Expanded Vision of Luxury Blending relaxed tropical style with refined privacy, the reimagined Landaa Estate strikes the perfect balance between connection and seclusion. The expanded layout now features four bedrooms accommodated within four pavilions, as well as a new king bedroom. A second-floor dining and lounge deck offers elevated spaces to unwind, while a private library and entertainment room provide intimate escapes. Designed for seamless family living, a dedicated kids' room offers younger guests their own private enclave. Into the Horizon The Estate's indoor-outdoor living spaces invite a deep immersion in the natural beauty of the surrounding Biosphere Reserve. A swimming pool with cascading waterfall, whirlpool and sundeck opens directly onto a private stretch of beach and the iridescent waters of Landaa's 2.5-kilometre (1.5 mile) lagoon. A large, suspended swing provides a dreamy perch to take in the mesmerising views – offering plentiful Instagram-worthy moments. The new sunken outdoor seating area provides a cosy setting for lively conversations, playful sunset gatherings, or peaceful reflection under the stars. The second-floor outdoor pavilion features a weather-sensor, maximising enjoyment in any condition – from sunrise to moonlight. An Ocean-Inspired Aesthetic The Landaa Estate's transformation takes cues from its surroundings. A fresh white palette reflects the brightness of the white-sand beach; touches of teal and turquoise meet pops of purple in an echo of the adjacent seascape; hand-carved coral-inspired screens nod to traditional Maldivian heritage. Designer pieces from Flexform, Paola Lenti, Gervasoni, Roda and Kettal elevate the Estate's aesthetic; while contrasting materials, textures and organic shapes create an interplay that complements the architectural curves. The resultant interior flows into its tropical home as effortlessly as the waves that gently lap the shoreline. Undivided Personal Service A dedicated Landaa Estate butler service ensures every detail is flawlessly tailored. Bespoke dining experiences, uniquely curated family adventures and enchanting beach barbecues offer island living at its finest – where every experience unfolds with ease. Commenting on the new accommodation, Regional Vice President Armando Kraenzlin says, 'With the Landaa Estate, we wanted to complement the nature of the Biosphere Reserve with a haven of contemporary design to create a space that not only offered elevated privacy, comfort and service but that elusive 'I never want to leave' feeling. All the amenities of Landaa Giraavaru are just a short walk away, but the Estate is a self-enclosed sanctuary within a sanctuary. It's a very special place that unites Four Seasons vision of modern luxury with Landaa's laid-back nature-immersed ethos. I couldn't be happier with the end result.' To be among the first to stay in the new Landaa Estate, visit the website, email: [email protected] or call the Central Reservations Department of Four Seasons Resorts Maldives at tel: (960) 66 00888.
Trade Arabia
26-03-2025
- Trade Arabia
Four Seasons Maldives at Landaa Giraavaru introduces Landaa Estate
Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Landaa Giraavaru has announced that the four-bedroom Landaa Estate is now available for bookings, offering a sanctuary for up to 9 adults or 8 adults and 6 children. The resort's largest and most elevated accommodation, set against the beauty of the Baa Atoll UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, features expanded oceanfront spaces and a new design concept. The estate offers 80 meters of private white-sand beach, a 20-meter lap pool with sunken lounge, waterfall, and vast sundeck, a rooftop terrace with dreamy sunset views, and innovative indoor-outdoor areas. The reimagined Landaa Estate strikes the perfect balance between connection and seclusion, featuring four bedrooms within four pavilions, a new king bedroom, a second-floor dining and lounge deck, a private library and entertainment room, and a dedicated kids' room for younger guests. The Estate's indoor-outdoor living spaces invite a deep immersion in the natural beauty of the surrounding Biosphere Reserve, with a swimming pool with cascading waterfall, whirlpool, and sundeck opening directly onto a private stretch of beach and the iridescent waters of Landaa's 2.5-kilometer lagoon. The Estate's transformation takes cues from its surroundings, with a fresh white palette reflecting the brightness of the white-sand beach, teal and turquoise echoed by the adjacent seascape, and hand-carved coral-inspired screens noding to traditional Maldivian heritage. Designer pieces from Flexform, Paola Lenti, Gervasoni, Roda, and Kettal elevate the Estate's aesthetic, while contrasting materials, textures, and organic shapes complement the architectural curves. A dedicated Landaa Estate butler service ensures every detail is flawlessly tailored, offering bespoke dining experiences, uniquely curated family adventures, and enchanting beach barbecues.
