Ways of designing: Paolo Favaretto.

Curiosity, accuracy and passion for the research are deeply entrenched in the DNA of Paolo Favaretto that this year celebrates the 40th anniversary of professional activity within the Industrial and the Architectural Design. This peculiar achieved goal is also celebrated by his native city Padua with the exhibition 40 x 40 Paolo Favaretto. Gli anni del Design” (opening 22nd Novembre 2013).

Since 1973 he has been collaborating with important Italian and international furniture producers firms, but his international is undoubtedly linked to seat. In 2009 his son Francesco started to collaborate with him and Favaretto & Partners became a reality. Favaretto actively supports and adheres to the principles of “Design for All” and he was co-founder of DFA Italia to encourages disability-proof design practices which aim to make objects and environments accessible and functional to the widest possible range of users.

Is the planning model of Favaretto & Partners the same everywhere in the world and with all kinds of companies or design products or does the approach change to the different situations?
We have always tried to design products based on the history and technology of the company, that would manufacture and market them, however always according to some basic concepts: simplicity and DFA (Design For All) standards, whenever possible.
Favaretto & Partners operates on quite different markets and fields. Are there any conceptual “contaminations” and common elements between the many design areas you deals with?
I think that all my works share easy reading and a degree of surprise I always try to add to what I’m designing.
In your opinion, what are your most innovative designs or those you like best?
As regards innovation, no doubt “Powerbean”, the first desk with a supporting, wired beam, and Hanky, a lamp that it’s almost a manifesto of my way of designing for its extreme, structural simplicity and terse style.
How has the workspace vision changed in the past few years? Have these changes an impact on the new interior design and furniture products?
I think that the designers’ lack of new ideas and companies now investing less are clear signs, that lead to the carrying out of products they try to justify and cover with meanings, which are very often just flannel.
What scenarios and evolutions do you expect for the office and the ways of working in the near future?
I’d like to see changes, that concern technological innovations only, yet to be used, in order to make our daily life easier and better without becoming addict to them.


Captions
1 Paolo Favaretto.
2 Paolo Favaretto with his son Francesco.
3 Powerbeam, office desk system, design by Paolo Favaretto (1982) for Kinetics Furniture (Canada).
4 Hanky, hanging lamp, design by Paolo Favaretto (1980) for Ibis gruppo Malobbia.
5 Venezia, chair made of a polypropylene mono-shell, design by Paolo Favaretto (2006) for Gruppo-Sintesi.
6 XXL, arm-chair, design by Paolo Favaretto (2013) for Nero 3.
7 Assisa, chair sistem, design by Paolo Favaretto (1986) forr Steelcase/Press.
8 Duplo, indoor/outdoor chair, design by Paolo Favaretto (2013) for Gaber.
9 Trepai, standing lamp, design by Paolo Favaretto (2013) for Vistosi.
10 Parasta, dynamic shelving system, design by Paolo Favaretto (2010) for Sagsa.