Last year, Italian company Driade enlisted architect David Chipperfield to curate the brand’s artistic direction. The first steps included introducing new designers to the collection and redesigning the Milanese showroom, now an all-white sculptural space.
As well as contributing product design for the brand, Chipperfield also introduced Driade’s inaugural Image Book, a photographic volume which presents the new pieces as well as furniture from the permanent collection through the art direction of John Morgan. To emphasise the continuity between past, present and future, the latest crop of Konstantin Grcic’s shelves were presented alongside archive pieces by the likes of Nanda Vigo and Marco Zanuso, while the book also includes Driade staples such as Fredrikson Stallard’s 'Basalt' collection and new pieces by design giant Enzo Mari.
Eschewing a standard catalogue style, the pieces, all with a strong sense of modernity and creative flair, were photographed by Berlin-based photographer Simon Menges against the suggestive backdrop of a stone quarry outside Verona.
‘Since its beginnings in 1968, Driade has, through its selection of designers and through the development of objects and furniture, represented a particular attitude, encouraging innovation and individuality, and enjoying a spirit of design diversity,’ says Chipperfield, who since taking the helm of the company has been quietly directing it while celebrating its roots. ‘Going forward, it is the intention of Driade to maintain its contribution to this culture and to continue to develop the generous balance between the individuality of the designer and the lose coherence and perspective so brilliantly determined by [founders] Adelaide Acerbi, Antonia Astori, and Enrico Astori.'
The images were curated by Chipperfield and art directed by John Morgan. Fredrikson Stallard’s ’Sereno’ coffee table in cast aluminium, which also featured in Wallpaper* Composed’s project in Chelsea earlier this year
Gordon Guillaumier’s ’Anapo’ series: the book’s photographs were shot inside a stone quarry near Verona
Pictured left: Fredrikson Stallard’s ’Basalt’ tables, which were added to the collection earlier this year. Right: the ’Gazelle’ table in blue powder-coated steel, designed by Park Associati
A pair of amusingly-titled pieces: pictured left: Francesco Bolis’ ’Miro’ mirror. Right: Philippe Starck’s ’Lou Read Armchair’
Pictured left: the ’No Frame’ series of mirrors by one of the company’s founders, Antonia Astori. Right: Christophe Pillet’s ’Meridiana’ chair
Pictured left: the ’Empasse’ chair collection by Atelier Oï. Right: ’Archipelago’ mirrors by Fredrikson Stallard
Pictured left: Nanda Vigo’s fur-covered ’Blocco’ pouf, a recent re-edition from a 1970 design. Right: Enzo Mari’s outdoors sofa and chair from this year’s ’Elisa’ collection
A group of ’Ercole e Afrodite’ cabinets by the newly formed Driade Lab, an internal design team. The pieces combine human anatomy with geometry
Enzo Mari’s ’Sof Sof’ chair, a re-edition from a 1972 design
Since taking the helm of the company, David Chipperfield has been quietly directing it while celebrating its roots. He has also contributed some furniture pieces to the collection, such as this year’s ’Evelyn’ lamp, with a green anodised aluminium shade
Konstantin Grcic’s additions to the collection this year came in the form of these zigzag-shaped structural shelving units
Aptly titled ’Zig Zag’, the shelves come in a variety of compositions, colours and materials. Pictured: the wood and metal version