FairDuring the fair, De Castelli presented Glyphé, the 2023 research project that experiments with new complex and overlapping processes that draw inspiration from traditional forging techniques, replacing iron with brass. The process involves several stages of beating, oxidation, polishing, brushing and honing create material deformations on thick plates and unique markings on metal. An innovative topographical design emerges featuring unusual patterns, landscape effects and impressive geological maps. Thus, surfaces and furnishing accessories are embellished with unique markings, traces, and other distinctive imprints, which are enhanced and sculpted using various treatments. Visitors are welcomed by a large reception desk and a majestic chandelier, which showcases all the expressive potential of Glyphé. They are led into the exhibition hall where the company’s collections are on display, including the Xilo table designed by Delineo Design studio, which also uses the Glyphé technique.
The stand also features the latest collections, expressing the Biomorphic research of 2022 that explores the theme of organic shapes. These include the Ripple cabinet by Marco Pisati, the Sinestesia console, the Monolite partition by Tipstudio, and the freestanding Airframe bookcase designed by Pio and Tito Toso. The stand is completed by the Folio table by Draw Studio and other collections that are already in the catalogue such as the Sculpt side cabinet by Francesco Forcellini and the Between Nature tables by Stormo Studio, which are also part of the Biomorphic research that revitalises and modernises the traditional techniques of metal beating and hammering.
The Airframe bookcase celebrates the art of hammered metal, highlighting the savoir-faire and artisan virtuosity that define De Castelli.
Its aerodynamic shape outlines a fine metal structure made of asymmetrical elliptical loops, supporting four discontinuous horizontal shelves. The outer shell is composed of a partial covering that has been expertly shaped to the structure. Airframe is a micro architecture that makes any space more refined, adding a dramatic element to interiors.
Inspired by the refined, sinuous aesthetics of Art Nouveau, the XILO coffee table is a veritable sculpture in metal that exalts the hand-crafted and manufacturing techniques. Three sheets of thick brass, rounded at the ends and of different lengths, have been folded and abutted irregularly to create rhythmic movement. Each element features a distinct weave of imprints that dissolve in delicately fading marks, in contrast to the polished brass surface.
A series of curved brass sheets form the base of Sinestesia, the console encapsulating the solidity and expressiveness of this noble material. With rounded edges, the leaf-like top of the console rests on the curvature of the metal sheets below, playing with positive and negative space to define the essential structure of this piece.
The unique DeErosion finishing on the outer surface of the vertical elements, inspired by natural erosion processes, highlights the contrast with the brushed inner surface and underscores the essential geometric contours of the piece.
Monolìte is a divider that, like a solid body smoothed by nature’s erosive elements, evokes geological formations along its surface. Its design is characterised by a precise clean, graphic lines, making it the star of the space in which it is placed. It is made up of two metal sheets, concave and symmetrical, touching each other on the back; inside they contain a light that can be glimpsed mysteriously through a hidden crack. Monolìte presents a clear contrast between the texture of the internal surface, rough and irregular, and the external one which stands out for its smooth and reflective brushing.
The pure, precise lines of this table are composed of perpendicular planes of equidistant metal sheets that punctuate the shape of Folio, giving rise to an interesting interplay of shadows, in contrast to the light reflected upon the horizontal plane. Available with a rectangular or rounded top, the base of Folio is carefully designed to ensure enough leg room while seated.
