According to Antonio Citterio, ‘the physical home itself hasn’t really changed that much in the past 30 years’. Given his position as one of the most successful and, indeed, prolific Italian architects and industrial designers at work today, he is well-qualified to have an opinion on the subject.
‘What has changed, of course, is the spirit of home,’ he continues. ‘Where we live is now scrutinised so much more, with us entertaining and bringing people into our spaces. I remember my Via Solferino apartment in 1970s Milan. It was chaos, with people sleeping here, there and everywhere. I imagine that area is very different today; more formal, and you won’t find shoes all over the place!’
This joyful reminiscing coincides with the launch of Citterio’s latest collection for Maxalto in Paris earlier this year. Despite his staggeringly impressive career – his CV reads like a history of contemporary design and includes collaborations with practically every major brand – his relationship with this offshoot of the B&B Italia business is something special.
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Since 1995, Citterio has been the brand’s sole creative, designing and coordinating its output – a long, fluid examination of what a ‘modern classic’ home could and should look like.
‘Timelessness is key,’ says Citterio. ‘Each Maxalto piece could have been designed today or 30 years ago, that’s the joy.’ As such, every year’s new additions to the range are like a painter revisiting the same exquisite still-life composition, finely tweaking and adding in elements to enhance the overall look and feel.
So 2024’s offer includes a new sofa system with an upholstered or lacquered frame, a group of arresting coffee tables and consoles with hammered mirror-steel tops that look like rippling pools of water, as well as delicately crafted storage units prompted by Citterio’s desire to update the traditional dresser, which can be fitted with shelves, pull-out trays, even cutlery racks. The idea of entertaining is definitely front of mind.
Today, exactly as when he conceived his first pieces in 1995, this is not about huge numbers of shouty, extravagant novelties. Brevity and conciseness are key. ‘I don’t look at trends. I don’t do flashy products,’ notes Citterio. ‘I try to keep things quiet and of the utmost quality – that just works.’
Giving Maxalto customers true artisan-level quality and craftsmanship is further enhanced this year by ‘Atelier’, a service offering bespoke options. ‘As with all we do,’ he says, ‘it has to be precious and unique, to feel completely right.’ maxalto.com
