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Giorgio Bonaguro on design and furniture

Writer: Object of Reference
Object of Reference
May 9, 2020
3 min read

Updated: May 10, 2020


I have been following Giorgio Bonaguro for some time now, and I was so excited when he agreed to be part of my blog. Giorgio studied Mechanical Engineering in Modena, and he then obtained a master's degree in Industrial and Interior Design at Scuola Politecnica di Design SPD in Milan. He has worked in various design and architecture studios, such as Lorenzo Palmeri, Francesco Faccin, the master Michele De Lucchi and the critic and designer Marco Romanelli.


I reached out and asked him to share with me some of his latest (master)pieces and also answer some questions about his take on design and furniture.


Who is GIORGIO BONAGURO as a brand and how would you define your design style?

I think objects always have to tell a story, but they must do it subtly and not by shouting. They must be an element that adds a function, or even simply, an emotion or a memory in those who use them, without being too bold or arrogant. I always try to create products characterised by simple and minimalist lines, because I think there is a great elegance in them. I also like to combine materials in an unconventional way, with the aim of creating a memory, or paying homage to a tradition, or suggesting a sensation.

What is the definition of “good design” according to you?

  • Athos is a family of side tables and it is a tribute to the work of Athos Bulcao, a Brazilian painter and sculptor. Through his "azulejos" (tiles) he has given color and made even more unique many architectural projects. The tables are a "three-dimensional" interpretation of the azulejos. They are made using white Carrara marble for the base, and the Azul Macaubas granite, a Brazilian stone, for the top, to create, through the union of materials, an ideal link between the two countries.
    Athos Sidetable

Good design makes a product useful. A product is normally bought to use it. But for me now it must also have a function that is no longer only practical, but also psychological: it must generate empathy. Good design is (also) a beautiful emotion.

When it comes to interior design are there any basic “rules” that you always follow, and so what are those?

Also for interior design there is a functional component that is combined with an aesthetic and an emotional component. An environment in particular, if it must be lived in daily, has to respect some practical rules. It must be usable, but at the same time it needs some characteristics that make you want to live in. I think an interior is even more connected to the client's intimate desires and what they expects for that particular environment, how they think of living it, how they feel in it, how they think of welcoming family or friends inside.

  • The softness of Brazilian furniture design between the 40s and 60s in the modernist architecture of Niemeyer, Costa, Vilanova Artigas and Bo Bardi provides the inspiration for the new collection of Joaquin tables by Bonaguro for Tacchini. In aesthetic terms, the linear, geometric shapes are a homage to the simple, elegant lines of Joaquim Tenreiro, considered one of the fathers of modern tropical design. In technical terms, the Joaquim collection was designed to salvage off-cuts, fully embracing the principles of upcycling and environmental sustainability, which are major linchpins of Brazilian creativity. The tables feature a metal frame with tops and bases in Patagonia or Elegant Brown.
    Joaquim Sidetables

There is an element of art in your designs. How do you balance functionality and creativity in your work, and how hard is it?

Art is certainly one of my sources of inspiration, along with other elements that arise from the observation of what surrounds me, from the travels I make, from the different people and cultures I meet. It is not easy to combine functionality and aesthetics in a project, and it changes according to the situations: sometimes it is a process that requires a lot of tests, a lot of study, sometimes it is more immediate and almost natural. Developing an idea is a non linear process.


  • Working around the theme of movement, with the intention of making dynamic and light a material considered as solid and static, Bonaguro has developed Equilibrium, a collection/installation of luminous sculptures made in marble. Inspired on the one hand by the minimalist sculpture of artists such as John Mccracken, Carl Andre or Dan Flavin, and on the other hand to the curved and enveloping forms of Brazilian architecture, the three sculptures represent different instants of the same movement, the still life of an unstable balance where every static moment becomes dynamic. ​
    Equilibrium

What would your dream project be?

Realise an artistic installation, in which people can enter and interact.

What are you working on at the moment and what is coming up for the brand?

I am working on new products and new collections with different materials (marble, wood, metal, Vienna straw, etc.), both for the next Milan exhibition and for other fairs, for example in Brazil, the country that has adopted me and that I feel like a second home.


For more amazing pieces make sure you follow Giorgio Bonaguro on Instagram @bonagurogiorgio or go to bonagurogiorgio.com. Make sure you leave a comment if you like this blogpost and don't forget to share it with other design lovers.

  • he Liv armchair originates from some icons of international design, first of all the Boomerang Chair by Richard Neutra. A piece so special and with an innovative style that also influenced the pieces then made by other masters of Brazilian design.
    Liv

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