COUNCILOR MAZZALI AWARDS THE ‘FARFALLINA’ CHAIR, FROM THE LOMBARDY COMPANY SOZZI ARREDAMENTI
(mi-lorenteggio.com) Milan, 21 June 2024 – “Design represents a pillar of the Lombard economy and identity”. The president of the Lombardy Region, Attilio Fontana, said this yesterday, speaking at the ‘Compasso d’Oro ADI 2024’ awards ceremony this afternoon in Milan.
Established in 1954, the ‘Compasso d’oro’ award has celebrated the excellence of Italian design for 70 years, rewarding every two years products that stand out for their innovation, functionality and aesthetics.
Barbara Mazzali, regional councilor for Tourism, Territorial Marketing and Fashion, who also holds the mandate for Design, spoke at the event together with governor Fontana.
LOMBARDO DNA – “Design not only constitutes one of the most relevant economic sectors at a regional level – continued Fontana – but is also worth a third of the national added value (32.7%)”. A sector that is based on a vast industrial ecosystem, with approximately 30% of active subjects at a national level providing work to almost 28% of Italian workers.
TRAINING – In recalling how design is inherent to Lombard culture and businesses, the president also underlined the region’s primacy in terms of training. “Lombardy is first in Italy for the number of students enrolled in institutes and courses in design disciplines. And ADI acts as a link between the concept of functional design for industrial production and that of design as a cultural factor. The Award – continued Fontana – has taken on an institutional value over the years, promoting our design at an international level as a cultural reference and engine of progress”. “Made in Italy – he concluded – is appreciated in the world because it is founded on a cultural heritage, on the mix of manufacturing tradition, design innovation, environmental and social sustainability, receptivity to new trends and the most recent technologies”.
COUNCILOR MAZZALI: PROUD TO AWARD LOMBARDY COMPANY – Councilor Barbara Mazzali awarded one of the prizes of the XXVIII Compasso d’Oro-ADI, assigning the historic recognition for design excellence to the ‘Farfallina’ chair created by the Lombard company Sozzi Arredamenti, winner together with around seventy other products.
“Lombard pride emerges with the awarding of the ‘Compasso d’Oro ADI’ award to Sozzi Arredamenti of Lecco, an entirely Lombard excellence, which produces some of the most precious furniture in the world, in a perfect mix of quality and artisan tradition that look at innovation” declared Mazzali.
“The ‘Farfallina’ chair – added the councilor – weighs only 3.7 kg and represents the creativity of Lombard design”.
ADI DESIGN AWARD, 70 YEARS OF SUCCESS – “The ADI Compasso d’Oro celebrates its 70 years of history – underlined Mazzali – coinciding with the evolution of Italian design, deeply rooted in Lombardy”. Mazzali then thanked the president of ADI, Luciano Galimberti, for the invitation, underlining the hope that all the winning projects will become as iconic as some of the objects hosted at the ADI Museum. These include the Eclisse lamp (1967 Compasso d’Oro Award), the Kartell chest of drawers (1999) and the ‘Mirella’ sewing machine.
“When an artefact combines functionality and aesthetic value it becomes an element of utility, but also of taste, art and even well-being”, concluded the councillor.
THE LIST OF WINNING PROJECTS – A total of 67 awards were awarded by ADI, including 20 prizes, 39 honorable mentions, 5 youth plate certificates and another 3 for the youth category. Among the names, timeless Italian brands of design applied to multiple sectors stand out, such as Ferrari, Zanotta, Flos, Cassina, Kartell, Luxottica, Diadora.
THE NUMBERS OF DESIGN IN LOMBARDY – In Lombardy, Italian design finds a cohesive system to support it: from excellent training centers (14 institutes and 5,399 students) to over 10,500 companies active in the sector (24% of Italian ones), up to annual events such as the Salone del Mobile in Milan, an annual international point of reference capable of generating new trends throughout the sector.
