The Compasso d’Oro is 70 years old. And it is all on show
A view of the exhibition devoted to the 28th Compasso d’Oro at the ADI Design Museum - Ph. Roberto De Riccardis e Denise Manzi
Furnishings that are transformative or particularly thrifty in the use of materials and components, high-tech products that adapt to small spaces and solve problems: 174 of the more than 300 projects selected for the latest edition of the award – the 70th – are on display at the ADI Design Museum until September
In the history books of the future, the two-year period 2022/2023 could be described as rife with uncertainty, with war on Europe’s doorstep and a series of extreme weather events that have forced even skeptics to wake up to the consequences of climate change.
The collection of 174 projects selected by the jury of the 28th Compasso d’Oro, on display at the ADI Design Museum until 16 September, include the 20 winners of the coveted award founded in 1954 to an idea by Gio Ponti, and the 39 Honorable Mentions. If we observe them carefully, the image of Italy they convey is rather that of a country that is concerned, true, but also eager to offer concrete answers to the problems of the present by reducing waste or meeting new housing needs.
A view of the exhibition devoted to the 28th Compasso d’Oro at the ADI Design Museum - Ph. Roberto De Riccardis e Denise Manzi
A view of the exhibition devoted to the 28th Compasso d’Oro at the ADI Design Museum - Ph. Roberto De Riccardis e Denise Manzi
A view of the exhibition devoted to the 28th Compasso d’Oro at the ADI Design Museum - Ph. Roberto De Riccardis e Denise Manzi
A view of the exhibition devoted to the 28th Compasso d’Oro at the ADI Design Museum - Ph. Roberto De Riccardis e Denise Manzi
The Farfallina chair, for instance, designed by stararchitect Álvaro Siza for Bottega Ghianda, goes for extreme lightness and minimalism, in both the materials (natural beechwood from the Black Forest and leather) and the components. It can further be combined with other chairs of the same model to create a circle or other curvilinear configurations.
The Costume modular sofa, designed by Stefan Diez for Magis, received the award for its innovative structure, which does not fall into either of the two classic types, either based on a wooden frame with springs and straps or a metal core covered with foam and upholstered. Hence it “has given rise to new modes of use by the public, who are increasingly aware of sustainability issues over time.” Since the various elements are not rigidly attached to each other, the product can be dismantled without difficulty and the covers can be replaced just as easily.
Another padded furnishing, Standalto by Francesco Binfaré for Edra, was awarded an Honorable Mention. It adapts to the desires of those who use it by means of a special “smart cushion” with a friction mechanism.
A study reported a few days ago by the Corriere della Sera shows that in the last five years purchasing power has fallen so greatly that the same mortgage payment today entitles a buyer to about 20 square meters less space than five years ago. So the necessity to organize the space inside ever smaller homes more efficiently and the need for fluid interiors designed to perform different functions is matched by space-saving furnishings and lamps. Lhov from Elica, designed by Fabrizio Crisà, is an unusually compact kitchen with built-in hood, hob and oven in very small dimensions.
MrX, which bears the signature of designer Marco Acerbis for Talenti, revisits the traditional pergola by transforming it into a state-of-the-art shading system that opens out like a pair of calipers and can be used in different positions, becoming a portal or gazebo as needed.
Among the Honorable Mentions are the Thierry side tables designed by Piero Lissoni for Kartell, which bring character to any type of setting, the Groove shower head designed by Odo Fioravanti for Alpi that enables the shower to be built into the false ceiling, rendering it almost invisible, and the Leva handle from DND by Martinelli (design by Park Associati).
The A+E technology project by Caimi Brevetti responds to the new rituals of work and the need to protect the health of staff in offices as well as in hybrid spaces where work and private life interpenetrate. The textile is based on a pure silver metalized technopolymer, which reduces the power of electromagnetic fields without interfering with the signals from wi-fi networks and smartphones.
The international jury of the Compasso consisted of the President of the ADI Luciano Galimberti, the curator Maria Cristina Didero, the director of the Galleria Nazionale d’Arte Moderna e Contemporanea in Rome Renata Cristina Mazzantini and the designers Francisco Gómez Paz and Toshiyuki Kita. The last-named will also be the Ambassador of the Italian Pavilion at Expo Osaka 2025. The jury explained that all the projects on display devote close attention to central themes of our lives, such as “the application of advanced technologies capable of disrupting some firmly established typologies, a particular poetic maturity in the lighting sector, or even safety at work. These are some of the most significant aspects of this edition, which also represented new fields, such as aerospace,” as the jurors observed. Another point of particular interest is the willingness of public bodies to use design to shape a new relationship with citizens. The relationship with art has shown that the dialogue between disciplines enriches the products with an emotional charge without distorting the objectives of concreteness. Finally, sustainability is confirmed as a well-established value in production made in Italy, a success we believe is linked to the constant work of the world of design and industry.”
During the award ceremony at the 28th edition of the Compasso d’Oro and celebrations for the 70th anniversary of the award, a new initiative was also announced, closely linked to the world fair scheduled for next year in Japan. This is a special edition of the Compasso d’Oro International Award, open to designers and companies from the countries participating in Expo 2025 in Osaka and organized in collaboration with the Commissariat General for Italy. The projects shortlisted and the winners will be presented in the Italian Pavilion designed by Mario Cucinella as a contemporary reinterpretation of the model of the Ideal City of the Renaissance.
