As part of Europalia Spain, the CID is inviting the internationally renowned architect-designer Patricia Urquiola. Born in Oviedo in 1961, she obtained her first degree in architecture at the Politecnico in Madrid. She continued her studies at the Politecnico in Milan, where she was taught by Achille Castiglioni, who appointed her as a lecturer. She thus trained in contact with the great Italian masters, collaborating in particular with Vico Magistretti and Piero Lissoni. In 2001, she opened her own studio. It employs around a hundred people and works in the fields of product design, interior design and architecture. Her client list is impressive and varied, illustrating the extent of her influence in the field. But whatever the project, the designer's playful, colourful and dynamic design is instantly recognisable.
The exhibition at the Grand-Hornu will focus primarily on Patricia Urquiola's design work over the last five years, offering a selective look at her oeuvre, covering both her industrial and craft production, with many projects lying at the intersection between the two.
The exhibition will look at design and re-design research, to quote Bruno Latour, adopted by Patricia Urquiola. Each project embodies a slow, passionate process, an ongoing dialogue between the different partners. Beyond the initial brief, in-depth research, memories, intuitive flashes of inspiration, short circuits in time and experimentation all contribute to the creative process. Whether the solution is the most technological or the most artisanal, the research for these projects is constantly evolving and remains open to redefinition and re-examination. As a result, the themes, particularly those relating to materials, remain open-ended as they continue to evolve.
Some older products will also feature in the exhibition: these have been reimagined and reissued in new forms. These pieces have been thoughtfully rethought, with a focus on durability.
In the field of ceramics, the exhibition will look at the reinterpretation of traditional techniques (Capodimonte, Bitossi, Rosenthal) and the adoption of innovative technologies that considerably reduce the use of water, such as the technique developed with Mutina. Patricia Urquiola has also explored glass techniques. Her proposals include new glass pastes produced from waste from traditional production (Glas Italia).
The concrete sector, a major emitter of CO2, is now taking a fresh look at itself. New-generation cements are being developed, and Patricia Urquiola has studied their properties as part of her collaboration with the Cimento brand. At the same time, she is carrying out extensive research in the field of textiles, from the reuse of natural fibres to the creation of the first 100% oceanic PET fabric (Kvadrat), and the regeneration of high-resistance PET floor modules (Tarkett).
The exhibition also includes seating made with BIO terpolymer injection moulds (Andreu World), surfaces created from bark resins and natural waste (Etel and Mater), and hybrid tiles created by reusing waste marble blocks mixed with resin (Budri).
