Driade takes us back to the future at its David Chipperfield-designed showroom

Design / 15 Jan 2015 / By Rosa Bertoli

Driade's new Milan showroom is a minimalist white space designed by David Chipperfield Architects. *Photography: Santi Caleca*

The showroom will serves as a 'museum' space in which to showcase the company’s 47-year history, alongside temporary exhibitions. *Photography: Santi Caleca*

Founded in 1968 by Enrico Astori, Antonia Astori and Adelaide Acerbi, the brand has chosen to inaugrate the showroom with an exhibition of pieces from its earlier days. Entitled ‘Early Years’, the show explores bold Driade designs produced in the 1960s, 70s and 80s

Architect Antonia Astori created the 'Oikos' bookcase in 1972: a functional and flexible modular design reconciling furniture and architecture

The 'Sof Sof' chair was designed for Driade by Enzo Mari in 1972, and draws inspiration from supermarket trolleys

The 'Capitello' table by Enzo Mari is another example of architectural research applied to design

'Sacher' chair, by Ettore Sottsass, 1981

The Milan showroom includes a permanent display of the brand's vast collection with pieces by the likes of Carlo Colombo, Fredrikson Stallard and Toyo Ito

The showroom acts a blank canvas for Driade's experimental, playful designs. *Photography: Enza Tamborra*

Lella and Massimo Vignelli are among the designers who contributed to Driade's early developments. The 'Ara' table is part of a Mackintosh- and Wright-inspired collection from the 1970s

The 'Duecavalli' armchair by design trio Studio De Pas, D'Urbino, Lomazzi in 1969 is inspired by the Citroën 2CV, a popular car in Italy (also nicknamed 'duecavalli')

Address

Driade
Via Borgogna 8
Milan

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Italian design brand Driade has unveiled a new Milan showroom designed by David Chipperfield Architects, heralding its inaugural creative collaboration with the architect who was appointed art director of the Italian design brand last year. The showroom - housed in a white, minimalist space - also serves as a space in which to showcase the company’s 47-year history, alongside temporary exhibitions.

Founded in 1968 by Enrico Astori, Antonia Astori and Adelaide Acerbi, the brand has chosen to inaugrate the showroom with an exhibition of pieces from its earlier days. Aptly titled ‘Early Years’, the show explores bold Driade designs produced in the 1960s, 70s and 80s. Furniture by Nanda Vigo, Enzo Mari and Lella and Massimo Vignelli offer an encyclopedic overview of Driade’s eclectic production, which more recently has launched pieces by the likes of Patricia Urquiola (joint winner of our Designer of the Year), Fabio Novembre, and Ron Arad.

Driade has always dared to experiment and push aesthetic boundaries with its distinctly experimental design language, and ‘Early Years’ reveals a bright glimpse into its future while celebrating its past.

RELATED TOPICS: DAVID CHIPPERFIELD

Driade takes us back to the future at its David Chipperfield-designed showroom

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