The prolific Italian designer and architect tells us where he gets his ideas for this modern yet timeless furniture pieces.
When did you first realise your passion for design?
I have the propensity to design from a very young age, but the moment when I realized what I wanted to do in life was in the ‘70s, when I walked into Splugenbrau brewery in Milan designed by Achille Castiglioni.
Mario believes that his architectural training has made him more attuned to geometric and attention to detail.
Where do you get your inspiration?
Ranging from design of very small objects to big urban planning is complex, the transition from one scale of the project to the other requires a lot of attention, and at the same time, flexibility. It’s this transversal nature that inspires many of my works, because, by the necessities of architecture I take the inspiration to develop design projects. My architectural matrix helps me a lot. Other times I find inspiration from nature, history, art and love for life. Every project comes from something special that triggered the inspiration to draw a new idea.
What was your inspiration for the Tiffany collection?
Tiffany collection is my first collaboration with Entune Living, the blend of two different aesthetic cultures, an exchange of views between Chinese and Italian decor. Since the beginning we wanted to create a collection that could interpret the contemporary styles of the global world and at the same time could become evergreen. Tiffany was inspired by the play of light and shade created by the union of the various components. I think that the distinctive feature of this collection is the harmonious union between legs and top with elegant details.
Streamlined and unfussy, Mario’s Tiffany collection for Entune Living was created to be timeless pieces for the contemporary home.
Tell us more about your upcoming boutique hotels design
We are working on the design and construction of several Boutique Hotels both in Europe and China. In China we have been asked by a local design firm to express how a Westerner sees the Chinese culture. We did it through a simplification of the signs. It is a very beautiful experience that is continuing because in China every region has different architectural cultures and I love new challenges.
You’ve worked with various expert Italian designers – did that impact your design perspective when you started developing your design language?
I’ve had the privilege of having very prestigious teachers and of collaborating with architects who created the phenomenon of Italian design. From great architect Marco Zanuso I took the passion for technology and spatial organization of design. From Achille Castiglioni I took the irony and the desire of continuosly getting involved in new challenges. But the most important thing he taught me was his ability to make simple even the most complicated things.
Mario’s creations, which includes furniture pieces like dressers, beds and storage units, is influenced by the play of light and shade.
How would you describe your aesthetic?
I think the common thread that ties all my projects is the attention to details. In general, when I design I look for an idea that reaches the ability of communicating a message. This happens within my architectural matrix that pays great attention to geometry.
Do you have any advice for aspiring designers?
I can recommend a moment of reflection on what the purpose of a designer is. Today, I see a lot of attention to the form and less to the meanings. The only advice I can give to young designers is to think of design as a tool that improves the quality of life and where aesthetics have a functional foundation more than a formal one.
Mario Mazzer’s collection for Entune Living is available at OM Home.
This was adapted from an interview by Ho Li Yen published in the March 2017 issue of SquareRooms. Photo credits: OM Home
