cupolone lamps and marmi DIY by lanzavecchia + wai

cupolone lamps and marmi DIY by lanzavecchia + wai for alcantara & MAXXI
photo courtesy of alcantara

local icons. greetings from rome, is the fourth collaborative exhibition between italian material manufacturer alcantara and the national museum of XXI century art in rome. the show was curated by giulio cappellini and domitilla dardi, and features creative reinterpretations of emblematic objects by designers including: gentucca bini, laudani & romanelli, paola navone, patricia urquiola, stefano giovannoni, zanellato/bortotto, and lanzavecchia + wai.

‘cupolone lamps’ featuring domes of san pietro and pantheon
photo courtesy of MAXXI

lanzavecchia + wai’s contribution came in the form of two products. the first, is a celebration of the soft roman skyline and architectural wonders of the eternal city. ‘cupolone lamps’ bring the domes of san pietro and the pantheon to the home, allowing users to enjoy the timeless structures at any point in time. from a far, the domes a monochromatic objects whose proportion is the only hint to their true nature. internally the details of the domes spring forth in seemingly three-dimensions due to an interplay of shape and the texture of their alcantara surface.

francesca lanzavecchia peering under the lampshade
photo courtesy of lanzavecchia + wai

‘marmi DIY’ is a series of soft goods centered around user creativity. using supplied patterns, sheets of alcantara can be moulded into coin purses, card cases, and wallet pouches — all without the use of stitching. a palette of different marble designs, all found in ancient roman constructions, play the central role in ‘marmi DIY’. colors and textures were drawn from the likes of the giallo antico of trajan’s form, the carrara of pope julius II’s mausoleum, the lapis lacedaemonius of hadrian’s villa, the botticino of the monument to victor emanuel II, the red marble flooring of the basilica of santa maria del popolo, and the granite of the pantheon. the culturally and historically rich objects define locations rooted in the italian peoples collective memory, and refresh them through design. all eight designs (two lamp shades, six alcantara patterns) are available for purchase.

pantheon design
photo courtesy of alcantara

‘marmi DIY’, digitally printed patterns from rome’s iconic marble constructions

coin-pouch, card case, wallet pouch

various patterns and folds

the material comes flat for self-assembly, and doesn’t require stitching of any kind

designboom has received this project through its ‘DIY submissions’ feature, which welcomes readers to submit their own work for publication. see more designboom readers submissions here.

edited by: nick brink | designboom