In front of approximately 300 international guests, the renowned designer, Patricia Urquiola, spoke to Duravit’s CMO Lüder Fromm about the industry’s ever-greater transformation and the resulting needs and opportunities in design and interior styling.
“The home is a living, transforming organism – shifting throughout the day, the seasons, and the stages of life. It is not a fixed perimeter, but a mutable system, because we are increasingly complex and in constant evolution,” explained Patricia Urquiola during the event accompanying her “Alchemica” installation.
Against the backdrop of the well-known Palazzo Bovara, she teamed up with the complete bathroom manufacturer for an inspiring evening program as part of Milan’s Salone del Mobile. At the heart of the event was the immersive “Alchemica” exhibition, which reflected the constant evolution of life and the home using alchemy as a metaphor. The exhibition was realized in conjunction with Valerio Tiberi, Antonio Perazzi, and the netsuke studio to mark the 30-year anniversary of the Elle Decor Italia. The exhibition included the installation of an impressive tower made of above-counter basins from the Balcoon range, created in conjunction with Duravit.
The bathroom range from Patricia Urquiola for Duravit is minimalistic yet still has a strong design identity. It is presented as part of the immersive “Alchemica” exhibition. Balcoon features characteristic architectural shapes and clear lines, which create a unique aesthetic with a high recognition value while also exuding warmth and accessibility. The combination of premium features and quality workmanship sets new standards in the bathroom segment.
Alchemy was never an exact science, but rather a field of experimentation – a hybrid, unfinished knowledge that lies between science and magic, nature and artifice. The “Alchemica” exhibition analyses domestic space as an open formula – a constantly evolving laboratory. The structure unfolds like an ouroboros, the serpent that bites its own tail, symbolizing a perpetual cycle of transformation.