Inaugurated during Design Week 2024, Madreforma – Alice’s new space on Via Marsala 2 – has opened its doors to present the latest collections from the perspective of the /àr-o/ studio. The showroom setup, designed as a narrative of the production process, unravels across the building’s two levels, playing with large windows to attract the gaze and interest of passersby.
Alice brings to Milan, in a space of 130 square meters, the history and essence of her territory, the province of Viterbo, a famous Italian ceramic production district, with the aim of inspiring architects and designers through an exhibition that shows not only the finished products – such as sanitary ware, sinks, and accessories – but the entire creative process, from simple sketches to complete objects, through nine key steps. Using a visual language that directly evokes artisanal production methods, thanks to the use of trolleys and refractory bricks, the molds and shapes become protagonists, revealing the phases of production traditionally invisible and emphasizing the union between nature and craft.
The dialogue between natural elements – earth, water, fire – and the skilled hands of the artisans is at the heart of the Madreforma experience. Raquel Pacchini from /àr-o/ studio emphasizes how the desire was to capture the earthy, natural essence of Alice’s production process, turning it into an engaging and visually rich narrative. Andrea Steidl adds an additional layer of meaning with an approach where the invisible becomes visible: the decorative elements of the exhibition hide stories of craftsmanship and ancestral techniques. For example, molds for sinks and sanitary ware were intentionally painted electric blue in the window to emphasize their primordial nature.
Mauro Rossi, CEO of Alice, expresses satisfaction for this project that encapsulates the company’s ideals, proposing a space that speaks a new language, aimed at directly involving the target audience through a sensory and aesthetic journey.
