Starting from the 70’s as founder of Studiodada Associati well-known for his Radical Design, Marco Piva has reached the peak of his career as architect, designer, town planner, professor, designer “at large” with projects for many big Italian and all over the world companies dealing with big and small projects, from architectures to tourist resorts to installations to illustrate a product of an idea. He has been at Superstudio various times bringing his elegant, emotional, fluent and functional mood.  

2000/2020 In twenty years what has changed and what will change?
In the past 20 years the ways of thinking, develop and communicate design has changed.  The formula launched by Superstudio, that integrates into the contemporaneity of the event entities different from one another, from the successful architect to the emerging designer, from long-established companies to new proposals, from tradition to the latest innovations in the technological field, creating synchrony, the winning circumstance to introduce a cross vision on Design state-of-the-art: Superstudio Più becomes a stage, a “laboratory” that opens itself to the city during the Fuorisalone. 

Starting from the 70’s as founder of Studiodada Associati well-known for his Radical Design, Marco Piva has reached the peak of his career as architect, designer, town planner, professor, designer “at large” with projects for many big Italian and all over the world companies dealing with big and small projects, from architectures to tourist resorts to installations to illustrate a product of an idea. He has been at Superstudio various times bringing his elegant, emotional, fluent and functional mood.  

2000/2020 In twenty years what has changed and what will change?
In the past 20 years the ways of thinking, develop and communicate design has changed.  The formula launched by Superstudio, that integrates into the contemporaneity of the event entities different from one another, from the successful architect to the emerging designer, from long-established companies to new proposals, from tradition to the latest innovations in the technological field, creating synchrony, the winning circumstance to introduce a cross vision on Design state-of-the-art: Superstudio Più becomes a stage, a “laboratory” that opens itself to the city during the Fuorisalone. Furthermore, in an era where communication is increasingly decisive (sometimes communication almost seems to be more relevant than the content) the narrative of Design is able to present itself in new and attractive forms. Today and in the future we will witness the integration between exhibiting and communication aspects.

The instinctive mark, the fil rouge of your work?
For me design means research and experimentation and, only at a later time, the product. The fil rouge of my work lies in the fundamental aspect of research on materials and new technologies, connected to the concept of sustainability and energy efficiency. I’m interested in the overall sense that either an object or a product can express, their ability intercept aesthetic, functional, performance expectations expressed by each individuals and by our society in constant evolution. I’m interested in the reactions that products induce in those who observe them, use them, and surround with them.  Design attracts me for his conceptual, figurative, representative process. I’m attracted to it for its aspects connected to identification, transformation, interpretation of materials and use of old techniques and more and more advanced productive technologies.

Which adjectives would you use to define trends of contemporary design?
Referring particularly to my style I would say, in alphabetical order: efficient, elegant, emotional, fluent, functional. The contemporary design cannot disregard an efficiency research as far as product is concerned, the connection with what is current, made of quick changing  scenarios. The recovery of either formal, stylistic and emotional  elements from the past, needs  to be call upon a new formal agility,  giving elegance to the objects without making them fall into banality or minimalist label.

Do you remember your experience at Superstudio?
I took part in the Temporary Museum For New Design at Superstudio Più in 2010 with the company Altreforme. At a later time, in 2012, I participated in the 50 years activity in the world of light of Leucos in the studios of Superstudio 13. In 2013, I designed the installation of Cristalplant Design Context, for Cristalplant® and Falper: an elegant and contemporary stage. For 2018 edition we have been protagonists of an operation supported by Material ConneXion Italia, creating a strong iconic macro object, a great materic sculpture that integrated fundamental materials for architecture – stone, metal and glass – that represented geometric-dynamic structures that looked as if emerging from the ground pointing towards the sky.

How important is the mise-en-scène?
For me the mise-en-scène is a fundamental condition, it is the constant of my way to design, especially in relation to the interior design, and result of the elements and objects of design that programme them. Whether it is about environments destined for hospitality, residential or work, I think that places of living should be set in a way to create conditions of efficiency and functionality, but also strong emotions. I don’t like cold, impersonal spaces, but those where users feel free to move, interact with them, as if they were protagonists of a “theatre performance”, in a captivating scenography.

What should, in addition to the product, a “fair-like” exhibition have to be attractive and impressive?
For me a fair exhibition needs to progressively leave the “stand” idea, and so limit to theme-spaces. A specific “exhibiting” theme needs to be dealt with horizontally, with ways and shapes as close to a theme exhibition as possible, rather than a fair. Even if keeping a commercial character, an exhibiting event must be able to communicate in a dynamic and free way results, technical and product proposals not just for each single company, but altogether. I therefore think that a “fair-like” exhibition needs to propose contents that establish enrichment for the visitor, theme cues that converge on one particular attractive target.

What is the Fuorisalone of Milan for you?
The Fuorisalone is one of the most significant worldwide cultural and social events able to involve an entire city. To be part, even as a visitor, in this kermesse, is a great experience: you feel part of a great movement, aimed to appear in the future.

Milan capital of design. Is it or what does it lack of to be it completely?
The fact that Milan is the capital of design is by now unquestionable.  There is no other place in the world able to compete. It would be nice if the theme of design would extend to all other fields not just strictly connected to architecture, interior or furniture product design, involving also other aspects, connected perhaps to sport, tourism, food, car design. Design for me is non-stop commitment to contribute in the creation of a better world.