A long-lasting collaboration that involves exterior/interior design as well as art direction for a resort truly in tune with nature. Inspired by Chalkidiki’s unique ecosystem, where rounded stone volumes and pine trees are in direct contact with the sea, we strived to develop creative solutions that underline nature’s presence and invite visitors to reflect on their relationship with it. Exterior spaces and treehouse The typical Mediterranean Pine tree (Pinus Pinea),…
A collection of geologically informed everyday items, cast in concrete and characterised by earthen tones. Stratification is the overlapping of various mineral compositions, where the upper layers are younger than the ones under them, showing the passing of time in stacks of diverse deposits. The Mediterranean basin is home to a multitude of diverse geological phenomena, with a rich story of sedimentation, erosion, and strong volcanic activity, all of which…
A creative journey where we orchestrated an eclectic brand since its inception, expanding into a multitude of expressions. From alternative design objects, futuristic exhibitions, theatrical performances, artistic events and numerous collaborations, our art direction for JCP Universe has been an innovative space where culture meets commerce. A fusion between art and design, the brand’s creations blend classic and contemporary style in a surprising new idiom that defies the norms. The…
A selection of the pieces that we designed throughout the years during our collaboration with JCP Universe. The archetypal forms of the pieces and the careful selection of their components reflect the aeons of cosmic transformation that gave life to everything we perceive. The focus is placed upon the mutable essence of nature, merging innovation with tradition in a new genre of objects that become vehicles of imagination for us…
A series of carpets that explores a variety of themes connecting humans with their domestic and natural environment. Forcing a change of perspective, our creations for YO2 invite people to reflect on what is hidden in plain sight. Discover more on : yo2.io Coral Loss | 2019A series of carpets that investigates the wonderful nature of corals and their terrible fate. Coral bleaching is a tangible sign…
The art direction of a brand where cannabis acts a symbol of an alternative approach to life. Nowadays we finally understand that our actions influence everything around us and that we need a new sustainable lifestyle that is slower and more conscious. A lifestyle connected to nature on more than one level. Erba del Chianti is a brand that promotes exactly this lifestyle having as a paradigm the prodigious plant…
A research project on the issue of species extinction and the loss of biodiversity caused by humans. Extinction by definition is the end of an organism or of a group of organisms (taxon), normally a species. Most great extinction events in the past are caused by ’normal’ evolutionary dynamics (glaciations, volcanic eruptions and other unpredictable natural events such as the collision of an asteroid) but the long course of extinctions…
An installation about water created in collaboration with JCP Universe, for the Design on Water exhibition by Luisa via Roma, on the river Arno. The installation enhances the essence and the importance of water in its multiple forms. The visitor becomes involved using all his senses in an experiential journey of transparencies and reflections. To look, listen and taste water are some of the implemented actions in Waterness; a path of…
A project that explores the microorganisms found in food and water but that are normally invisible to the naked eye. The project is based on the enlarged representation of certain radiolarians and mycetes that were carefully selected and arranged in order to be printed on fabric. The patterns created for aprons, kitchen towels, tablecloths and napkins are thus inspired by the micro-ecosystem that we live with every day. At the…
A contemplative piece that crystallises the perception of time. Time is something that cannot be seen, cannot be touched, smelled or be tasted. How is it then that we can visualise this vague concept within the physical space that we perceive with our senses? Hegel in the first section of his book “The Philosophy of Nature” (§257) says: “Space ‘is’ time, that is time is the ‘truth’ of space”. In…
A concept store located in the island of Mykonos which brings together historical replicas from various Greek archaeological museums. CTRLZAK studio is responsible for the entire design concept, which can be broken down to three main axes: stratification, excavation sites and museological representation. These themes were approached in different ways independently and then grouped together through the use of materials/colours and lighting. The central display area consists of white asymmetric…
An eclectic armchair project inspired by nature’s geometry. Quartz is a system that couples two-dimensional pentagonal and hexagonal wooden structures, which develop in three dimensions following natural crystalloid formations. The geometric volumes are covered with ecological fabrics in mixed colour variations producing an end result that resembles more a wild microhabitat than an armchair. The Quartz armchair is produced by Italian company D3CO. Discover more on :…
Two furniture pieces inspired by a symbolic buddhist tradition. On a mountain near a Buddhist temple Thanos & Katia discovered a peculiar practice: tiny sticks placed underneath massive boulders, appearing to support them but too small to bear the stone’s weight. Three years later this has been the inspiration for CTRLZAK’s D\Zen project, in which this meeting of great weight and delicacy takes the form of two different pieces of…
