LUXE FILES

Gabriele Buratti has a fondness for chairs and cars.

ARTISTS WHO HAVE BEEN AN ENDURING INFLUENCE? A special duo: Le Corbusier and Charlotte Perriand [12] who worked on different projects from architecture to interiors and furniture design, always with an innovative and modern approach; their contribution is fundamental for contemporary architecture and design. CONTEMPORARY ART YOU MOST ADMIRE? Donald Judd [11] and his ability to transform simplicity into poetry. DO YOU COLLECT ANYTHING? The chair is one of the most difficult pieces of furniture to design. I like to collect and use different chairs in my house and studio, from 20s icons to today: Thonet to Magistretti, Eileen Grey to Bellini, and so on. My brother Oscar and I designed the ‘Ann’ and ‘Suu’ [6] chairs for Thonet. FASHION MUST-HAVES? A pair of black Prada shoes [10]. FAVOURITE WATCH? My 50s Rolex Oyster [4] with the black face. FRAGRANCE OF CHOICE? Bleu de Chanel [5]. BOOKS – WHAT ARE YOU READING NOW? Louis Kahn: Essential Texts [8], an anthology of speeches and interviews of this most important US architect, from his early work in the 40s to his death in 1974. MUSIC – WHAT’S ON ROTATION AT OFFICE AND HOME? None in the studio but at home we listen to a variety of music on the radio. FAVOURITE FLOWERS? White tulips [7] on the table in my home. BEST DOWNTIME (IF YOU HAVE ANY) PURSUIT? My work is my hobby. I study and sketch a lot and visit museums and exhibitions. ARE YOU A COFFEE OR TEA MAN? Espresso coffee, five times a day. ENTERTAINING AT HOME OR OUT? I like to invite friends home for dinner; my wife Laura is a great cook and Niklas, our nine-year-old son, helps her to prepare wonderful dishes. FILMS THAT HAVE INSPIRED YOU? Nuovo Cinema Paradiso by Giuseppe Tornatore is clear that a great passion can change your life: in cinema but also architecture and design... SHOPS YOU FREQUENT? I love to stay for hours in a library, looking at books and magazines about art, architecture and design. DOES YOUR LOVE OF DESIGN EXTEND TO CARS? We have collaborated with Lamborghini to design their stores. I love two of their old cars: the ‘Miura’ [2] and the ‘Countach’. Also the Porsche 911; in all these cars, design means elegance and modernity. TRAVEL – FAVOURITE REGULAR HAUNT AND WHERE IS ON YOUR MUSTSEE LIST? I love to travel and see new places, landscapes and people. For a family weekend, we go to the Ligurian Sea near Portofino; it’s a magical place where I can relax, walk and think of new projects. AN OBJECT OF DESIRE YOU WOULD BUY RIGHT NOW? The ‘Alys’ bed [1] we designed for B&B Italia is a very important piece for us as an extreme synthesis between idea, material and design. The new lamp collection, Equatore for Fontanaarte [9], is an original way to work on lighting mixing high technology and tradition. The ‘Gallery’ sideboard for Porro [3] is a new sculptural unit for the dining room, with the magic of movement. gabrieleburatti.com