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Patricia Urquiola
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Name
Patricia Urquiola
Role
Designer
Books
Patricia Urquiola: Time to Make a Book
Education
Polytechnic University of Milan, Technical University of Madrid
In residence patricia urquiola the designer lets us into her milanese home
Patricia Urquiola (born 1961) is a Spanish architect and designer.
Spanish by birth, and Italian by choice, Patricia Urquiola was born in Oviedo, Spain and studied architecture in Madrid before graduating from the Milan Politecnico in 1989. The key words for her work are: rigour and emotion, innovation and mental comfort. She was mentored by some of the masters of Italian industrial design: Achille Castiglioni oversaw her graduate thesis, and Vico Magistretti, with whom she designed her first projects. She learned her craft in Italy, and opened a studio in Milan in 2001, where she has developed a truly global enterprise. Some highlights from her career include her encounter with Maddalena de Padova (1990), her collaboration with Piero Lissoni (1996-2000), and her partnership with Patrizia Moroso (since 1998) which led to the design of the Step Sofa, eventually debuting at the Saloni Milano and launching her into the spotlight at the young age of 40. Amidst all of these accomplishments, she had a stint at Lissoni Associati, beginning in 1993, where she developed furniture for Italian giants Cappellini and Cassina. Her designs are unconventional, emphatic, and experimental, blending humanist sensibilities and technical expertise – qualities that also inform her work as an architect. The Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Barcelona is one of her many architectural projects.
Urquiola's focus has always been on craft, which was a sensibility from the 19th century. Much of modern industrial design focuses on materials and manufacturing which risks design losing precision in handmade quality. Urquiola always makes a point to visit hand-made craft museums wherever she chooses to travel.
She has received numerous accolades and awards over the years, and in 2011 she was awarded the Medalla de Oro al Mérito en las Bellas Artes and the Order of Isabella the Catholic by King Juan Carlos I of Spain.
Some noteworthy collaborations include : Agape, Alessi, Andreu World, Axor, B&B Italia, Baccarat, Beko Arçelik, Bisazza, BMW, Budri, Coalesse, De Padova, Driade, Emu, Flos, Foscarini, Gandia Blasco, Glas Italia, Kartell, Kettal, Kvadrat, Molteni, Moroso, Mutina, Louis Vuitton, Rosenthal, Viccarbe, Molteni&C, Officine Panerai, Missoni, Ritz Carlton Marriott, Design Hotel, Haworth and Boffi.
Several of her pieces are displayed in museums and her Fjord armchair is part of MOMA New York's permanent collection.
Design products
She designs for Agape, Alessi, Andreu World, Artelano, Axor, B&B Italia, Bart Design, The City of Bilbao, Bisazza, BMW, Bosa, Budri, Chevalier Edition, Il Coccio, De Padova, De Vecchi, Dior, Driade, Emu, Fasem, Salvatore Ferragamo, Flos, Foscarini, Gallotti & Radice, Gandia Blasco, Glas Italia, Kartell, Kettal, Kvadrat, Maurice Lacroix, Liv’it, Louis Vuitton, Peter Mabeo, MDF Italia, Molteni, Moroso, Mutina, Olivari, Panasonic, Paola Lenti, Rosenthal, Champagne Ruinart, San Lorenzo, Tronconi, and Viccarbe. Consulting for Moroso, Honda, LG, Panasonic, the Singapore Government, and the Qatar Museum Authority. Artistic direction for Mutina.
"Objects must communicate," Urquiola said. "There should always be a hint of irony, humor or sensuality. I think with my hands. I'm my own client."
Patricia Urquiola New Products Salone del Mobile 2014
Pear Cut copper color – a new type of coloring (showroom) for Agape
Nub - chair for Andreu World
Husk - sofa (3 compositions) and Tabàno – armchair and pouf (1 variation – 5 items) for B&B Italia
Cast products for Beko
H2O Bilbao – jug for Bosa
Kitchen Salinas for Boffi
Bookcase, washbasin, table, coffee table, vases, boiserie, desk for Budri
Rever dining armchair (4 variations), Luna (bookshelf – 2 variations) and Altay chair, Altay sofa, Altay coffee tables for CoEdition
2011 “All Ambiq”, Venice Art Biennale, Venice, Italy.
2011 “Creative Junctions”, National Museum of China, Beijing International Design Triennial, Beijing, China.
2011 Luminaire Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA.
2011 “O’Clock- Design del Tempo, Tempo del Design”, Triennale Museum, Milan, Italy.
2012 “All Ambiq”, Museum of Arts and Design, New York, NY, USA.
2013 “O’clock – time design, design time”, CAFA Art Museum, Beijing, China.
2013 “Glasstress”, MUDAC, Museum for Design and Contemporary Applied Arts, Lausanne, Switzerland.
2014 "Gathering" exhibition by Li Edelkoort & Philip Fimmano approaches, Design Museum Holon
Awards and international recognition
2011
Order of Isabella the Catholic, Awarded by His Majesty The King of Spain Juan Carlos I, Spain.
Medalla de Oro al Mérito en las Bellas Artes (Gold Medal of Fine Arts), Awarded by His Majesty the King of Spain Juan Carlos I, Madrid, Spain.
Inducted into the Interior Design Hall of Fame, Awarded by Cindy Allen and Interior Design Magazine.
2012
Steelcase 100 Minds from around the world, USA.
A&W Architektur und Wohnen ‘Designer of the Year’, Germany.
IMM Cologne, Best of Best of the Interior Innovation Award, Husk Chair by B&B Italia
2013
European Health & Spa Award, No. 1 in Best Hotel Spa for the Mandarin Hotel Oriental, Barcelona, Spain
Elle Deco International Design Awardsfor the outdoor furniture Category, Collection Cottage by Kettal
iF Design Award Gold in the furniture category with lounge collection Hosu for Coalesse.
Wallpaper Magazine Design Awards, Best trend, Azulejo tiles by Mutina.
Milan Design Award, Best installation “The Revolving Room” for Kvadrat at Moroso Showroom during Milan Design Week
Australian International Design Award, Furniture and Lighting category. Hosu, Coalesse (Steelcase)
Red Dot Design Award, Hosu, Coalesse (Steelcase)
2014
100 Españoles, for one of the 100 most important Spanish people being recognized in her professional activities
Premio Marisa Bellisario for the “Most significant woman” who has achieved great and important goals and who represents the hope and future of our economy and also is the best ambassador of Italy in the world, Rome
Elle Deco International Design Awards for Husk Bed by B&B Italia
Red Dot Award for CAST Built-in Oven by Arçelik A.S
iF Design Award Gold for CAST Built-inn Oven by Arçelik A.S
Gold Award for Systems for the Openest collection by Haworth, Chicago
Best of NeoCon Competition for the Openest collection by Haworth, Chicago