221 OUTDOOR OPINIONS BY LUCA NICHETTO AND ALEX ALORDA

LUCA NICHETTO. 1 ‒ What is taking place outdoors is rather like what happened to offices and bathrooms. They might seem worlds apart but in fact everything is becoming ‘domesticated’, i.e. adopting the appearance and comfort of home furnishings. The borderline is getting less distinct between the public and private sphere, between indoor and outdoor space. There are frequent situations where they merge or overlap. 2‒ I had never created a comprehensive outdoor range but I enjoy challenges. Ethimo and I picked a material to work with that, before getting to know it, I had thought of as cheap and overrated, i.e. synthetic fibre. The brief was precise, with clear objectives. The results we achieved were excellent and I now intend to carry on exploring this fibre’s potential. 3‒ Innovation entails working on technology, materials and different products. Esedra and I designed the collection as a set of modular units for the creation of different shapes (and functions); if I change the height of a backrest on a sofa, it turns into something else. Designed for the terrace or the garden, it is also ideal for dividing an indoor space. The designs I think about for outdoors transcend the ‘outdoor’ label. 4‒ Individual items of furniture are no longer the trend today, but I am not suggesting absolute coordination, at least in the domestic environment. My idea of outdoor furnishing is mix and match, in neutral tones: woven fibre, terracotta pots and concrete paving, for example. There is room for a degree of licence though, e.g. with something in coloured plastic, arrangements I’m very keen on, bordering on pop culture. ALEX ALORDA. 1 ‒ Kettal was founded in 1966 by my father, Manuel Alorda. Outdoor furniture has seen substantial changes since that time. We have gone from functional, weather-resistant aluminium furniture to designs that are a match for anything in the indoor ranges - in a tactile sense and in materials, colours and fabrics. It was crucial to work closely with designers, who brought a sophistication, equal to that of indoor furniture, into the garden. 2‒ Our first encounter with design was with Oscar Tusquets, but the most significant change was 10 years ago, in 2006, with Patricia Urquiola, who we regard almost as our godmother. With her first collection she reinvented outdoor furniture and marked the new era by using hi-tech materials and basket weave. The result was furniture that was sturdy and long-lasting but as delicate as lace. 3‒ As for originality, I will give an example; to produce the Stampa chair to the Bouroullec brothers’ design we used 6 different manufacturing techniques: extrusion, injection moulding, stamping, punching, laser profiling, and finally welding and finishing by hand, using all our accumulated know-how. We applied traditional techniques to the new processes, making it possible to combine soft, almost fabric-like shapes with a hi-tech appearance. 4‒ Outside the walls of our houses are trees, sun and water. I always recommend tuning in with the hues of nature. To my mind, bright colours are more appropriate within the walls of a house than outside, though a touch of colour never hurts; greens and yellows are perfect for summery outdoor furniture. We create long-lasting, timeless designs that can be the classics of the future. We do not like strident designs.