studio irvine designs a domestic concrete landscape for forma&cemento

forma&cemento and studio irvine present fusto, a collection of minimalistic and contemporary pieces that celebrate brutalism, versatility and the infinite variations of concrete. developed under the artistic direction of marialaura rossiello irvine, the collection results in a new domestic concrete landscape that strengthens the personality and identity of the brand — passion for concrete — through research projects related to color and expressive forms.

derived from the latin word fustis, fusto is the middle part of the column — the one between the capital and the foundation. composed of a console table, bookshelves, coffee tables, a pedestal and two dining tables, the fusto collection by studio irvine for forma&cemento takes inspiration from classical architecture and translates the fluting of these pillars into a column that holds different surfaces to create the pieces of furniture. volumes and proportions are integrated into this timeless geometry where art, architecture and design create a world of references through the material.

‘concrete, a material that has always been associated with a structural function and architecture, poses interesting challenges in adapting to domestic design and offers answers to many of the demands of modern life, also from the point of view of durability and consequent sustainability,’ comments giorgio la corte, CEO of forma&cemento. ‘what started with marialaura, is an experimentation and constant search for the form to be given to the material so that it remains eternal in its function and aesthetics.’

fusto is the series that introduces marialaura rossiello irvine’s new design approach where a multifaceted column grows and changes to create a concrete landscape made dynamic by the movement of light on the surfaces. ‘brutalism always fascinated me when I was studying architecture in naples, hovering between the fascination of a moldable material and a rough monolithic aesthetic,’ says the artistic director. ‘with studio irvine I have always carried on a research in which single-materialism is the protagonist: from marble to clay, experimenting new languages in the world of product design and interior design. the vision is to tell the story of the material starting from its technical and productive characteristics to give a contemporary sculptural imagery.’