Product design has become increasingly more creative over the years and as expected, young designers are the ones leading the way towards a bright future where everyday items are revolutionary and go beyond merely functionality or style. This is the case with the Sovrappensiero Design Studio, founded by Lorenzo De Rosa and Ernesto Iadevaia in 2007 in Milan, Italy.
The two designers describe their creative process as a path where experimentation, research, and industrial production are completed by their “delicate poetic and dreamlike vision.” This surreal finishing touch is evident in the FurNature project which blends minimalism, natural elements, and customization in a fresh take on product design. The goal of the collection is to offer objects which are not anonymous or indistinct, but items that become truly unique thanks to the input of the user. The five objects are incomplete – the owner is the one who adds the last piece of the puzzle, in this case a piece of nature. The coffee table requires a rock to stand upright, the towel rack a single branch, while the hour glass features three segments which are ready to be filled with sand. The poetically named “domestic landscape” needs a flower or a plant to achieve its purpose and the clothes stand only becomes usable with the help of a rock and a couple of branches. Depending on the geography of their final location and on the personal preferences of the user, the objects become one-of-a-kind as well as intimate. Global product manufacturing processes and specific geography combine with striking effects. The innovative FurNature collection requires adding custom touches that are part of the local natural environment, offering a special experience for the user who then becomes actively involved in the design process.