Made of straw, wood, or better yet, bricks.
In childhood, home means protection—from the weather, strangers, and anything that could threaten the well-being of its inhabitants. As adults, the house remains a trusted shell, a place where one feels content without the need to seek solace elsewhere, surrounded by personal objects and cherished memories.

The home is a poetic place, where care is evident in the cushion, the plant, and the small feline wandering silently among surfaces of every size, material, and shape. These horizontal and vertical surfaces offer infinite sensory perceptions. Hence, it is also an aesthetic place, from the Greek αἴσθησις (aísthesis), “to perceive through the senses.”

Rugs, furnishings, paintings, family memories, and travel recollections define a temple where daily private rituals occur.

Every house finds its rhythm with the passage of time, a time marked by the presence of what we introduce, akin to the pages of a novel or the growth rings of a tree trunk.

By definition, it is an anthropic element, connecting us through its walls with the surrounding environment. If all walls were made of natural materials, the boundary between inside and outside, natural and artificial, would blur, bringing humans closer to nature.

This philosophy inspired “Àlfa, a Possible Home,” a project presented by Paola Lenti for the 2024 edition of Milano Design Week. This subtle architecture and interior exercise ultimately responds to a precise ethical choice.

It reminds us that initiating new and better practices requires positive thinking and a good dose of willpower.

INSIDE THE ROOMS OF ÀLFA
Director Maurizio Natta
Filmed by Fabrizio Polla Mattiot
Soundtrack Universal Music Publishing Ricordi srl

ph. © Maurizio Natta

© 2024 Paola Lenti srl, all rights reserved

L'articolo Home, the temple of private rituals proviene da Paola Lenti.

The rustle of leaves in a city park, stirred by the wind; the dust particles dancing in the sunlight filtering through dense urban buildings; the gentle patter of raindrops on a military green raincoat; the fiery red sun setting against the backdrop of a bustling street in Tokyo as seen from a van.

These fleeting moments, captured through the eyes of Hirayama in Wim Wenders’ acclaimed “Perfect Days”, evoke the essence of perfection. They remind us of the joy found in simply experiencing nature’s spontaneous offerings without any prompting.

Oki Sato, known as Nendo, finds inspiration in these subtle cues from nature – what he refers to as “hints” or “whispers”. It’s these whispers that he explores in his solo exhibition, “nendo: whispers of nature,” held at Paola Lenti’s new space in Milan during Milano Design Week 2024.

From their shared geographic coordinates in Tokyo, Japan, Nendo and Wenders, with a distinctly Western perspective, advocate for the importance of living in harmony with oneself and the natural world. They encourage us to appreciate life’s simple pleasures and to cultivate a deep respect for the environment.

“Exploring the connection between nature and humanity is deeply ingrained in Japanese culture,” explains Nendo. “That’s why I felt compelled to delve into this theme and chose Paola Lenti Milano as the perfect venue to showcase my exhibition. Nendo and Paola Lenti share a profound love and respect for nature – it’s what unites us.”

In the richness of the Japanese language, there exists a treasure trove of words that encapsulate intricate concepts and the beauty of natural phenomena with remarkable brevity.

Komorebi, as unveiled by Wim Wenders at the conclusion of his film, captures the ethereal shimmer cast by sunlight filtering through swaying leaves – a fleeting glow frozen in a singular, precise moment.

Hana-arashi, as disclosed by Nendo, describes the mesmerizing spectacle when cherry blossom petals detach and dance through the air – a transient beauty more captivating than the blossoms themselves, lasting mere moments.

Lastly, Mottainai, elucidated by Paola Lenti, embodies the ethos of waste not – a call to utilize existing resources rather than squander them. This concept has been embraced by the company, transforming into a project aimed at imbuing surplus materials with renewed function and aesthetic value.

The imagery of petals dancing in the air directly evokes Paola Lenti’s philosophy, which, through the Mottainai project, gathers and repurposes what remains, what literally falls from production processes, thus avoiding any form of waste.

“We were intrigued” explains Paola Lenti, “to explore collaborations with designers boasting diverse aesthetics, distinct from those of the Campana Brothers, with whom we initiated the Mottainai project’s first chapter. Thus, we engaged with Nendo studio. Oki Sato artfully breathed new life into Maris offcuts, harnessing their inherent structure and texture to inform the collection’s form. The resulting Hana-arashi collection exudes a restrained yet vibrant charm, evocative of quintessential Japanese design.”

Nendo’s concept for creating objects that experiment with various forms and combinations crystallized only after visiting Paola Lenti’s headquarters, witnessing the production processes, and grasping the company’s research efforts and unique savoir-faire. The Maris cutoffs, with their quality and array of colours, meticulously recovered and thoughtfully combined according to a cohesive chromatic scheme, give rise to petals of newfound and unpredictable beauty.

“The initial impression I had” recounts Nendo, “is that Paola embodies a certain Japanese sensibility. Quiet, exceptionally courteous, with a deep respect for nature. She truly sees and understands nature in a manner that resonates with me, reflecting an authenticity reminiscent of my own culture. I was pleasantly surprised to encounter the term Mottainai within an Italian company. It immediately felt familiar, akin to home. Through this project, I believe Paola and I achieved a harmonious balance between spirituality, materiality, and sustainability, as we, in a way, speak the same language. It was akin to composing a haiku.”

THE PLAY-DOUGH MAN
Director Maurizio Natta
Author Alessandra Noto
Filmed by Maurizio Natta – Fabrizio Polla Mattiot – Gianlorenzo Bernabò
Interview Dop Luciano Limoli
Editor Mattia Cutaia
Colorist Michele Ricossa
Audio Recordist Andrea Serventi
Audio Editor Matteo Fusi
Soundtrack Universal Music Publishing Ricordi srl
© 2024 Paola Lenti srl, all rights reserved

Go to the dedicated page to watch all our videos

L'articolo Nendo and Paola Lenti: A Symphony of Signs, Colours, and Emotions proviene da Paola Lenti.

To truly go beyond, one must possess an attentive and discerning eye. An eye capable of both grasping the details – because it is in the small and almost invisible that often nestles the highest concentration of beauty – and perceiving the harmonious coherence of the whole.

This visual flexibility is what sets Paola Lenti apart, and it finds its purest expression in Paola Lenti Milano, the brand’s new flagship exhibition space in Milan. Designed as a bioecological architecture, it mirrors the company’s aesthetic sensibility and ethical commitment.

Oltre lo Sguardo serves as Paola Lenti’s manifesto, marking the definitive opening of a new destination in Milan, inspired by the key principles of culture, design, well-being, and hospitality that have guided the brand since its inception thirty years ago.

At Paola Lenti Milano, indoor and outdoor products harmonize with diverse plant species across six distinct ecosystems, fostering an unparalleled urban biodiversity.

During Milano Design Week 2024, visitors are guided through sensory experiences, immersed in botanical and chromatic journeys that evoke olfactory sensations, play with light, notes of colour, and showcase furnishings characterized by delicate elegance and occasional whimsy—a hallmark of Paola Lenti’s unique storytelling approach.

Within the showroom, a dedicated space spanning over 300 square meters mimics the ambiance of a contemporary dwelling. Wide windows offer glimpses of lush gardens, inviting exploration and discovery. Carefully curated colour palettes, vintage furnishings, and meticulous attention to details create an atmosphere of sophistication and refinement.

Looking ahead, plans for a bistro and boutique hotel underscore the brand’s commitment to hospitality and well-being. These additions will further enrich the visitor experience, providing opportunities to explore broader themes of culture and sustainability amidst verdant surroundings.

Meanwhile, the building, still in its original state and subject to renovation in the future, will host the solo exhibition of Oki Sato «Nendo: Whispers of Nature» – a fitting exploration of the intricate relationship between humanity and the natural world, aligned with Paola Lenti’s core values.

© Paola Lenti srl

L'articolo «Oltre lo Sguardo» : What Lies Beyond the Gaze proviene da Paola Lenti.

Over two decades have passed since we embarked on a pioneering journey in the production of contemporary outdoor textiles, forever transforming their essence, scale, typology, and colour with a thin, impalpable thread – one suitable for twisting, coupling, shaping, and flattening into fabrics and cords.

The present and future of our company began with the unprecedented intuition, against the tide at the time, that such a flexible and potentially infinite raw material – akin to a thought relentlessly intertwining images, inspirations, and new connections – could transcend the conventional and establish the idea of a home without boundaries between indoor and outdoor.

From short film «Per filo e per segno» © Paola Lenti srl

However, we were not satisfied. We improved its performance, enhanced its qualities, and uncovered its aesthetic potential. Thus, a synthetic material, previously trapped in technology that rendered it rigid and soulless, superficially essential yet a source of ecological issues, became a valuable, sustainable material, functional for designing long-lasting and durable products, meeting the present requirements of the circular economy.

Over the years, that thread transformed into cords of various dimensions and forms, flexible enough to be woven, and into intricate, high-performance textile structures. It also manifested as soft knitted fabrics, reminiscent of classic craftsmanship like rib or plain stitch – a modern take on traditional handmade with a familiar, timeless essence. Additionally, it gave rise to dozens of unprecedented outdoor fabrics in exclusive colours, plush, inviting, and nearly indistinguishable from indoor fabrics, yet equipped with all the necessary qualities for outdoor use.

From short film «Per filo e per segno» © Paola Lenti srl

Per filo e per segno: the title binds the protagonist of our narrative to the meticulousness, care, and precision with which it is worked by the skilled hands of our staff, following the invisible threads of fantasy with their minds. This same attention is devoted every day to our work, to inventing new solutions, and to facing new challenges.

The enduring, contagious enthusiasm, the same as twenty years ago, has defined our identity. Paola Lenti herself guides us on this journey, unravelling and reweaving the thread of our history once again: a delicate yet resilient thread, leaving an indelible mark.

PER FILO E PER SEGNO
Director Maurizio Natta
Author Anna Vullo
Filmed by Maurizio Natta – Fabrizio Polla Mattiot – Gianlorenzo Bernabò
Interview Dop Luciano Limoli
Interview Gaffer Mattia Rossetti
Editor Mattia Cutaia
Colorist Michele Ricossa
Audio Editor Matteo Fusi
Hair styling and make up Karine Valbrun
Soundtrack Universal Music Publishing Ricordi srl
© 2023 Paola Lenti srl, all rights reserved

Go to the dedicated page to watch all our videos

L'articolo Per filo e per segno proviene da Paola Lenti.

Considered the utmost aesthetic expression of human creativity, art has evolved over time to include craftsmanship and design, tangible aspects of daily life that have garnered increasing value and dignity.

Design, in particular, emerges today as the most active artistic manifestation in the pursuit of new expressions, materials, and solutions. When design encounters a material capable of being extraordinarily current yet evoking the past, a magical alchemy ensues, captivating each of us with irresistible charm.

Among the many materials recently investigated and thoughtfully rescued from oblivion to become fundamental components of contemporary design is Abonos™, a submerged fossil wood carrying the memory of remote eras – possibly dating back to the time of the great glaciations. Its surfaces bear indelible marks, recording the actions of the natural elements that guarded it jealously through the centuries.

Abonos™ is a wood with a unique destiny. Primarily sourced from rivers in the Balkan region, it has often faced substantial floods that covered fallen tree trunks with soil, sand, and gravel – dragged and then submerged by the force of water. The elements have created ideal conditions for these trunks of various essences – oak, beech, poplar, ash, elm – to be preserved for millennia, reaching us without losing any of their properties.

For such a singular and precious wood, kindly preserved by the hand of nature, a similarly unique extraction process guided by a profound respect for the environment was developed. The task of bringing Abonos™ back to light and revealing its characteristic veins is entrusted to humans who immerse themselves in watercourses to free it from the weight of sediment. The trunks are secured with ropes tied to oxygen-inflated balloons, gently carrying them to the surface – a “technical” procedure imbued with a nuance of enchanted poetry.

Extraordinary materials like Abonos™, capable of meeting the demands of refined and exclusive design while being modernly eco-sustainable – preventing the unnecessary felling of trees – and simultaneously “telling” an ancient story, remind us that nature, if we pause to listen, is always capable of surprising us. On their surfaces, time has left a deep imprint, revealing a rediscovered beauty, innate and irreplicable, a testimony to its uniqueness. Today, the responsibility lies with all of us to collect its legacy and keep its memory alive.

This narrative was made possible thanks to the collaboration of Carlo and Filippo Tuzzi, innovators in material research and advocates of sustainable manufacturing, ensuring a concrete commitment to scrupulously respecting the ecosystem.

L'articolo The Rediscovered Beauty  proviene da Paola Lenti.

On the hills of Como, where the city offers a view of the lake from above, there is a social tailoring workshop where accessories are sewn – bags, backpacks, but also dresses, trousers, and blazers – and stories and relationships of people who came from afar, fleeing poverty and war, are sewn up. “Torn” stories that need care, attention, listening: in need, in fact, to be re-sewn.

CouLture Migrante – this is the name of the tailoring atelier – does it with needle and thread, with machines running fast on offcuts and remnants to give shape to accessories entirely crafted by hand, unique because different from one another. And meanwhile, it reconstructs broken identities and restores their dignity through work.

video © Maurizio Natta

Some of these stories intertwined with Paola Lenti company’s that, since its inception, has set itself the goal of combining business and ethics and to pursue a virtuous model that would enhance quality but even before people. A model that would preserve the environment, reduce waste, and give value to what others would discard.

This vision has a lot in common with that of the social atelier in Como, established in 2019 with the aim of promoting qualified vocational training for people at risk of social exclusion, such as migrants, and accompanying them on a path preparatory to professional integration, teaching them to produce high-quality tailoring products from recycled fabrics from the local chain of Como. Here is the common thread connecting the two realities: a thread that sews and gives new life to fabrics and stories.

The collaboration with CouLture Migrante started in 2022 when Paola Lenti proposed to Fernando and Humberto Campana – the Brazilian designers famous for their creations crafted with poor or waste materials – to conceive together a collection that would exclusively use the processing remnants of the company. The desire was to give life to a project based on sustainability and respect for the environment but also ethics, inclusion, and, not last, social responsibility. During the design phases, the idea arose to entrust the crafting of the textile components of the collection – named Metamorfosi – to people in situations of marginality but with experience in sewing and tailoring. Hence, Paola Lenti looked for a local craftsmanship reality that would commit to the same values shared with the designers and with which to “weave” an unprecedented alliance. And the thread led to Como.

Victoria and Saly Samba, hailing from Ghana and Senegal respectively, have been warmly embraced by the company. Guided by skilled tailors and artisans nurtured in the workshops of Meda, they embarked on a six-month training journey, aspiring to achieve professional independence. During that period, they acquainted themselves with the intricacies of fabrics, yarns, and cords, unveiling their unforeseen possibilities. Through a simple crochet technique, the core of a cord, when opened up and “ruffled,” transforms into a textile seaweed, imparting a unique character to the seating series envisioned by the Campana Brothers. A collection that also bears the imprint of diverse cultures, vibrant and overflowing with colours.

Today, the collaboration with CouLture Migrante is enhanced by further meaning. Paola Lenti has asked the atelier to produce the “Backpack CM” – the flagship product of the atelier’s accessories collection – exclusively using the materials of the company. Fabrics with different colours, weight, and thickness, originally aimed to upholster outdoor and indoor furnishings, have been transformed this way into unique accessories, not only because they are different from one another. Also, in this case, the “raw material” consists of the remnants of previous processing, while the hands that shape the backpacks are those of the people that CouLture Migrante has welcomed, trained, and then employed in their own atelier.

The first backpacks tailored by CouLture Migrante will be gifted to architects, designers, and journalists of the sector on the occasion of an event that will take place in the flagship store Paola Lenti in Miami during the next edition of Art Basel Miami. Saly Samba and Victoria are giving the finishing touches to the pieces departing for Florida, while Chieck – called Zé – from Gambia, employed by CouLture Migrante and now a true master in the tailoring art, makes the remnants slide quickly under the needle of the sewing machine, to a rhythm that resonates like music. Actually today, also life stories are being re-sewn: his own, Saly Samba’s, employed part-time at Paola Lenti, and Victoria’s, that will soon be employed in the tailoring department of a silk factory in Como. It is another circle that closes; or rather, it opens to generate shared value.

L'articolo Paola Lenti and CouLture Migrante: Together to Mend Fabrics and Stories proviene da Paola Lenti.

Paola Lenti was looking for a place to put down roots. A place integrated into the urban fabric of Milan, open to the city, and at the same time surrounded by green-ery. A venue to be purposefully designed for those who pass through the door to grasp everywhere the beauty of a plant, a flower, a tree, and thus nature, on which Paola Lenti has always drawn to envision her products.

A place that could not only become a permanent reference point during the Milano Design Week, but also maintain a constant dialogue with a diverse public and transmit an entire vision that goes beyond the usual retail concept to incorporate art and hospitality, food culture, and landscape design. A venue capable of telling a story that has a horizon that extends beyond that of a typical flagship store.

The new venue is located a former industrial estate surrounded by gardens in an area, which is undergoing a major redevelopment but far from the canonical routes of design.

 
The entire project has been designed to have as little environmental impact as possible, in keeping with the company’s concept, which has made sustainability one of its cornerstones. For the outside walls, neutral materials and tones were chosen to express the idea of harmony that underpins Paola Lenti’s creative choices and harmonise with the distinctive colours of the surrounding buildings.  
 
I want the new location to be a lively place where people can feel good, – Paola Lenti explains –. A positive oasis for Milan as well».

L'articolo Milan, the new Paola Lenti space proviene da Paola Lenti.

The desire to explain the body of thoughts that inspire the production choices of the Company is behind the idea to create a series of little precious volumes, printed on paper produced with sustainable raw materials and pictured by graphic designers, illustrators and artists: the Quaderni Paola Lenti.

A project against the flow in this digital era that returns the tactile pleasure of printed-paper and follows the thread of a reasoning on the importance of producing in a sustainable way that began with the inception of the company.

After Twiggy and Diade and after Eres, the two new issues of the Quaderni, Mottainai and Rope, have just been released.

The first is named after a concept originating from rural culture in Japan and Buddhist teachings, Mottainai, and that can be translated as What a waste! It is the ability to create with what is at hand, without squandering further resources while respecting humankind and the environment. A philosophy that draws on age-old heritage that places high value on parsimony but also gratitude for what is owned.

This thought has guided Paola Lenti in a project of recovery of production leftovers, restoring the value of yarns and materials produced in-house.

The volume Mottainai retraces the steps of this process, which brought about the eponymous collection of rugs, armchairs and poufs presented during the recent Fuorisalone in Milan. The same philosophy behind this concept inspired Metamorfosi as well, the series of unique pieces penned by Brazilian designers Fernando and Humberto Campana, equally produced with waste materials.

The forth issue of the series illustrates the genesis of Rope, the high tech yarn that, twenty years ago, has marked Paola Lenti’s debut in the realm of outdoor furniture, accelerating the company development.

Rope is a high performing synthetic yarn, resistant to water, UV rays, bacteria and 100% recyclable – hence sustainable – that over the years has originated dozens of different textile structures – cords, braids, strips. With these products, the company has produced rugs, upholstery and seating pieces of several signature collections.

Recently, it evolved into materials even more innovative like Twiggy and Diade. Twenty years after its introduction, Rope is still unique and inimitable. As yet, many of Paola Lenti’s products are recognizable thanks to this yarn.

Images in Mottainai are by Francesca Crisafulli and Carlo Nannetti – otherwise known as Mook – artists specialized in the creation of visual using all manner of recycled materials. The drawing in Rope are by Vessela Nikolova, whose visual research encompasses the area of fashion, design, photography and illustration.

L'articolo Mottainai and Rope, the new Quaderni Paola Lenti on the company’s sustainable choices proviene da Paola Lenti.

Be responsible. Do not waste. Reuse. Find a way to give new life to thousands of offcuts, fabric and cord remnants, selvages, processing leftovers. A multicolored wealth of yarns and materials that are still performing – still alive – normally destined for landfills. What to do with it? Paola Lenti began to ask herself the question a few years ago, while pondering over the profound meaning of sustainability, a term now overused. How can we be sustainable, this was the exact question, when every year we produce more than 10 tons of leftovers, the disposal of which requires energy, people, machinery? Furthermore, why define them as waste or treat them as such, when they could turn into something unexpected?

Following the thread of this thought, Paola Lenti metaphorically began to fill drawers: in practice, dozens of boxes of different materials meticulously catalogued by color, type of fabric, size. A memory archive, a piece of company history.

In order for that thought to take shape, however, a new sign was needed, capable of revealing the essence of the material by changing – somehow shaking up – its original appearance. Brazilian brothers Fernando and Humberto Campana, renowned all over the world for their iconic pieces produced with waste materials, could have been the ideal partners.
Different in style – nonconformists, out-of-the-box -, but at the same time close to Paola Lenti for the philosophy that has guided their design career: the urgency of identifying a way of producing that combines ethics and aesthetics, the importance of creating from existing materials. Furthermore, the common sensibility for colour, more instinctive in the case of Campana, the result of a long chromatic research for Paola Lenti. Finally – no less pivotal – a shared vision of social responsibility: the awareness that there can be no ethics without inclusion and that, therefore, it is necessary to look for talents even among disadvantaged people; give them the deserved value, make them flourish. So that talent is not wasted either.

Paola Lenti sent to Brazil boxes full of textile remnants to explain to the brothers Campana the potentialities of this project. The answer: “This is a treasure”. A series of remote meetings led to the partnership. Humberto Campana designed shapes and volumes of the first prototypes; Paola Lenti shared her knowledge of the materials and her innate sense of colour, the brand hallmark. A team of artisans in the Meda factory got to work to bring the two thoughts together.

Test after test, matter regenerated and acquired a new form. Rope, Paola Lenti first high tech yarn for the outdoors, revealed the versatility of polypropylene, the material, of which it is composed. Naturally opening up, Rope cords have brought to life “flowers”, as soft as puffs in infinite shades, and expanses of “seaweeds”, silky to the touch, with which seats have been covered, inviting you to rest and play. With other fabric remnants, a rug has been designed with a patchwork effect; with still others the soft tubulars, similar to tentacles, which serve as backrests. The products finished, Humberto Campana commented:

Metamorfosi, this is the name of the new collection designed by Campana, draws inspiration from the natural world and its mutations. Morpho, Centopeia, Alicia, are organisms inhabiting our earth and our seas. The observer, though, is free to interpret appearance and shapes. The border with a work of art is very thin: they are unique pieces that arouse wonder.

Victoria and Saly Samba have been involved in the production of the prototypes from the social tailor’s shop CouLture Migrante in Como that uses itself discontinued fabrics for its products and offers job opportunities to migrant men and women at risk of social exclusion. This is the sign that includes: the people, Paola Lenti and Campana ideas. And all comes full circle.

L'articolo The seduction of Metamorphosis proviene da Paola Lenti.

The “casa dei topi” (house of mice) is an open space full of books, hidden in a Milanese courtyard. The wording that welcomes visitors at the entrance – La casa dei topi, in fact – is not meant to warn those who enter, but ironically indicates the owners of the space, the founders of the publisher of young adults’ books “Topipittori” and of Calamus, a company specializing in design communication.

A large window frames a small internal garden full of plants. Illustrated fairy tales and books about the masters of architecture and design are scattered everywhere. Zoboli and Canton are the editors of Quaderni Paola Lenti, a series conceived to depict the philosophy that inspires and guides the company’s choices.

A project beyond the ordinary: many texts, images created by illustrators and artists, eco-friendly papers. “Produce well and with a sense of responsibility, this is the thought we want to share and spread with Quaderni”, is the synthesis of Paola Lenti.

The Quaderno Twiggy and Diade, with its essential graphics and illustrations digitally elaborated by Studio Fludd, retraces the steps that led to the development of Twiggy, an innovative single-material polypropylene yarn, and later on of Diade, the weight-bearing material obtained by coupling a rigid plate with a fabric made of Twiggy. Indeed, innovation lays in both materials being fully recyclable.

The experimentation of performing materials goes hand in hand with the attention to craftsmanship. The second Quaderno, Eres, actually reflects this dimension: it is a journey to discover ancient cultivation techniques and fibers such as linen and hemp, protagonists of the new Paola Lenti collection along with other more exotic ones such as bamboo, raffia, igusa and abaca.

Fil rouge of Quaderni is the path undertaken over the years in the direction of greater sustainability. “It is one of the cornerstones that prompted the company to talk about itself,” says Giovanna Zoboli. “In the case of Twiggy and Diade, sustainability is expressed in recyclability and durability, in Eres in the use of completely natural materials, for both upholsteries and paddings, processed, wherever possible, in the places of origin and without resorting to chemical treatments”.

The Eres collection contains an invitation to care: for the environment and for the products, which are delicate because they are natural and therefore need to be treated with particular attention.

Attention and care equally feature the layout of Quaderni Paola Lenti: natural paper, no glue, pages sewn together with a recyclable cotton thread.  “Eres illustrations are penned by Lucia Pescador, an artist who interprets nature in a personal and poetic way”, concludes Giovanna Zoboli.

L'articolo Interview with the editors of the Quaderni Paola Lenti <br>“Research on materials makes the difference” proviene da Paola Lenti.

The European Court of Auditors emphasizes how not enough is being done to combat and reverse the inexorable process of soil degradation tied to the exploitation of land and climate change. Reforestation and regenerative agriculture could make a decisive contribution. In fact, while intensive agriculture subjects the land to stress, through unsustainable chemical and mechanical processes that, in the long run, will render the soil completely sterile, the regenerative approach contributes to the reconstitution of natural cycles, improving productivity and the quality of life of farmers and animals, with a return to the well being of communities.

Daniele Cesano, a Piedmontese engineer, well established in Brazil, bears witness to this. There he has developed his Intelligent and Sustainable Smart Agro-climatic Module (MAIS), a syntropic approach capable of giving resilience and restoring fertility to lands cultivated and/or used for farming.

“In the last one hundred years agriculture has always extracted more than it has restored and with deforestation and monocultures it has fundamentally undermined the natural cycles – Cesano explains. Today syntropic processes are helping us return these cycles to an optimal energy level in order to guarantee the regeneration of the soil and its return to productivity.” All in accordance with laws established by Mother Nature.

No longer monocultures and fertilization, but layers of different plants with different functions. We start with grasses and shrubs that need little to live and grow; and from leguminous plants, “pioneers” that harbor among their roots certain batteries capable of capturing nitrogen and transforming it into substances that can be assimilated by other plant organisms. Plants succeed one another in time and space, as long as there is cooperation, and usually within a few years yield appreciable results, not only in terms of food production, but also renewed biodiversity. The beauty of this model is that it can be exported everywhere, including to Europe.

The images show farmland on the Brazilian plantation Mata do Lobo, near the city of Rio Verde, in the state of Goiàs, in the Cerrado biome. The activity of agricultural enterprises has always been the monocultural production of grains for multinationals, but given the decrease in productivity and profits, Maria Vitoria Vasconcelos and her husband have found a valid alternative in syntropic agriculture, leading to economic and intellectual independence. Today the principal crops are coffee, bananas and Australian red cedar; but there are also many other trees, for example Eucalyptus, Mango, Janbolan, as well as various indigenous species.

Sources: news.un.org; wisesociety.it, italianeconlavaligia.com, op.europa.eu, corriere.it

L'articolo Harmony and Syntropy<br> Agriculture that regenerates proviene da Paola Lenti.

Founded by David Kratz with the idea of transforming plastic into an opportunity for many poor coastal communities in countries such as Haiti, The Philippines and Brazil. Plastic waste gathered by the locals is exchanged at collection points for basic goods and services that improve the quality of life of the people and generates economic growth and a better future. 

Where does this waste go? The plastic is purchased as ‘social’ plastic and transformed into ecological fibre and is certified by the EU Ecolabel, which is a label of environmental excellence where products are traceable and have a positive impact.

This is how AERELLE® Blue was born, the ecological cushioning made from recycled and recyclable polyester fiber produced by ADVANSA with materials supplied by Plastic Bank. Today AERELLE is an essential part of all Paola Lenti’s seats and cushions, both indoors and outdoors.

It is a material that is invisible to the eye but essential for comfort and function, as well as conveying a contemporary design philosophy, where aesthetics is also an ethical question.

L'articolo The virtuous circle proviene da Paola Lenti.

More than 70% of the surface of our planet Earth is covered in water, 95% of which is salt water. 

Francesco Bosso, a photographer born in Barletta, Italy in 1959, has dedicated his life’s work to seascapes, capturing the primal force and calmness of this environment while also encapsulating the fragile balance of its existence. 

Water, with its continuous flow and strength, shapes, transforms and creates – a continuous and eternal becoming where everything is born from water and to water it returns.

His book “Waterheaven”, published by Silvana Editoriale to coincide with the recent exhibition at Turin’s CAMERA – Centro Italiano per la Fotografia, is a journey through water’s fascinating creative force between perception and reality, a succession of recollections and fragments of memory. With his photographs, Bosso recreates distinct moods and an ambience that not only represents an ode to nature but also an invitation to reflect on the idea of conservation, with a particular attention to the liquid element, water as a primordial element and source of life. «Through the photographic medium – says CAMERA director Walter Guadagnini – Bosso communicates ethics of protection and conservation of the natural landscape. With the adept use of black and white he celebrates his subjects, and at the same time alerting the viewer to the fragility and uniqueness of this heritage». 

Water is the most precious element for the hydrosphere and even life itself. It is an integral part of the complex equilibrium that has always determined Earth’s climate. However, global warming and carbon emissions are seriously endangering this balance. The most noticeable effects are the rise in the sea level, the intensification of hurricanes, and – due to acidification – the disappearance of many species. The deterioration of marine and coastal ecosystems, though less obvious, is also a danger to the economic and physical survival of local communities. 

According to a study by the University of Melbourne, 4% of the global population will be affected by coastal flooding. While adaptability seems the only solution, with migratory phenomena and possible conflicts arising from access to resources, some people are working to try, at all costs, to reverse climate change. 

For example, the International Union of Conservation of Nature, an association with 1400 members amongst governments and citizen organizations, has committed to protect 30% of the oceans by 2030. This will be done through banning uncontrolled fishing and drilling, which will allow the sea to find itself again.

Sources: hoepli.it, theguardian.com, rinnovabili.it, woi.economist.com, iucn.org

L'articolo Waterheaven proviene da Paola Lenti.

Food waste is not an old problem. It is a new one. Our grandmothers did not waste food. Every part of every ingredient found a place in the kitchen. Today one third of the food produced globally is wasted every year while almost one billion people are undernourished. Food insecurity is on the rise. Numbers only tell one side of the story. The other side of the story is much harder to define. Human dignity, not only hunger and nutrition, are at risk. Asking for a free meal is never easy for anyone.

My wife Lara Gilmore and I founded a non-profit organization called Food for Soul in 2016 after creating and running a project during Expo2015 in Milan as a contribution to Expo’s theme: Feed the Planet. We created a new model for a soup kitchen in collaboration with designers, artists, architects, and chefs. The Refettorio Ambrosiano proved not only to be a place for those in need to gather and share a meal, but also a community hub for the entire neighborhood. Under one roof and under the motto that THERE ARE NO EXCUSES, we began imagining other Refettorios around the world. 

Today Food for Soul supports 8 Refettorios, from London to Mexico, and the most recent is Refettorio LIMA at La Casa de Todos in Lima, Peru, in a renovated Bull fighting stadium. Food for Soul creates beautiful spaces for everyone because we believe that Beauty is a universal good and one of the few things that cannot be divided. The more beauty there is, the more for everyone.

In every project, we collaborate with many artists and designers who share our vision of the world, from JR’s paper clouds in Paris, to the Campana Brothers recycled tables in Rio, and local artist workshops curated by Bosco Sodi in Mexico.  

Food for Soul is founded upon guiding principles of Osteria Francescana, our vision and our philosophy. THE QUALITY OF IDEAS. By collaborating with community members, chefs, artists, organizations, and professionals from different fields, we imagine and create places that become platforms for THE POWER OF BEAUTY. Beauty, be it art, design, music or an act of kindness, transports people from their daily experience to help them connect with the community around them. 

THE VALUE OF HOSPITALITY. Hospitality in the true sense of the word is the essence of Welcoming. We create experiences that have an emotional impact and that demonstrate our desire to care for others. Do we need more soup kitchens? 

 If we change the way we think about ingredients, nourishment, and community; If we stop throwing away our food; If we revive ethical practices in the kitchen; this can be a return to an old culinary tradition. This can be tomorrow’s meal.

When I think about the future of Food, the single, most important ingredient for the future is CULTURE. Culture brings Knowledge; Knowledge leads to Consciousness; from Consciousness to a Sense of Responsibility it is a very small step.

L'articolo Cooking is a Call to Act proviene da Paola Lenti.