Peak Performance
Inspired by the mountainous landscapes, Turri’s new Pinnacle collection fuses oriental tradition with Italian craftsmanship
East and west come together in the new Pinnacle collection by Italian heritage brand Turri, which has been making finely crafted furniture since 1925. The range is a collaboration with Shanghai architect and interior designer Huang Quan, one of China’s most popular creative talents and a master of modern-oriental, art deco-influenced style.
The concept behind Pinnacle is an intriguing one. It takes inspiration from traditional Chinese landscape paintings, the embodiment of the Mandarin expression Zheng Rong, which means lofty or towering. These images often depict mountains and steep, rugged terrains alongside flowing waterways – a contrasting blend of elements that symbolises an idea deeply rooted in Chinese culture, that of striving for greatness. Huang has translated these natural features into elegant, sweeping shapes for seating, tables and storage: among the highlights are a chair with dramatic curves that suggest rolling hills, and a dining table whose base recalls organic rock formations.
Each piece is impeccably crafted in Turri style using a materials palette that reflects the harmony between nature’s hard and soft aspects: marble to represent rocks and mountains, wood and leather to evoke trees and the fluidity of land and water. The mix of finishes can be customised to achieve the balance desired: the table, for example, has a base in leather-covered wood and wood veneer, but can be specified with a marble or timber top.
An art deco-style illuminated cabinet and sideboard, intended to resemble expansive clifftops and mountain peaks, are rich in layers of symbolism, with delicate gold details that suggest small points of light. By selecting a personalised combination of materials – pale or dark walnut veneers and leathers; neutral or coloured marbles – each piece will take on a completely different character, from sunny to brooding. Just like the paintings that inspired them, in fact.