MDF Italia has always been a company devoted to experimentation, and this year it is pursuing its goal through a completely renewed portfolio of designers, with whom it will chart a creative course focused on innovation.
The new season is also defined by environmental awareness, which informs choices and processes, and is now the starting point of every design adventure.
While the company has already distinguished itself over time for its ability to offer a warm, tactile interpretation of minimalism, it is increasingly embracing an aesthetic that tones down the brand’s long-standing formal rigour.
“MDF Italia’s new DNA was created in the groove between meditative silence and dynamic living,” explains Kedem. “This is expressed in tables with rounded corners that can be joined together, as well as in the new sofa, which can generate movement from small, static elements.”
ARRAY by Snøhetta
Array is a sofa system designed by Snøhetta to offer maximum flexibility and comfort. It represents a new approach to sofa design and construction, with the goal of reducing environmental impact, achieving customised living solutions, and simplifying logistics. To this end, it introduces small modules, which permit a variety of layouts, are easy to transport, and can be easily disassembled and reassembled for replacement or recycling.
The concept of comfort extends to the entire supply chain, moving beyond its ergonomic component. The robust injection-moulded base made of recycled plastic, which leaves a hollow core inside, minimises the use of material. The bio-foam in the seat and back is moulded for optimal comfort. The fabric cover is also available in recycled polyester. The Array collection is developed from both a micro and macro perspective and is suitable for residential and contract contexts.
PEGGY by Gio Tirotto
The Peggy armchair interprets a strong market trend: the taste for a “soft home”. With its curvy, enveloping design, this chair conveys a sense of security, protection and cosiness, while breaking away from its historical context to become an iconic piece defined by its pure contours.
“Peggy is an armchair that we feel we know,” comments Gio Tirotto, “but have never encountered.”
Made of tubular steel and recycled foam, it consists of just two parts: a base-back and a seat, held together by a fastening system that makes it easy to disassemble. Thanks to these elements, the back makes it both light and dynamic, as well as curvy and comfortable.
DUETTO by 967arch
Duetto, the new stool designed by 967arch for MDF Italia, has a versatile design and an ability to convey the company’s identity in a product suitable for both contract and domestic settings. Duetto is composed of two thin metal blades under tension, supporting a curved polypropylene seat, creating a harmonious dialogue between the materials.
Featuring minimalist contours, a light design and a recognisable graphic style, Duetto is available in two finishes and two heights. This iconic yet functional stool has a strong visual presence, making it ideal as an informal seat for a variety of corporate, public and private settings.
CANTLE by Marco Lavit
Equestrian inspiration underlies the Cantle collection. The term ‘cantle’ refers to the rear part of the saddle, which is usually curved and provides the rider with a safe and comfortable seat. In the seat designed by Lavit, the back thus assumes the form of the arc of a circle, which embraces the
body and determines its posture.
Supported by a steel frame that traces a strikingly sophisticated silhouette, both the back and seat are anchored to V-shaped brackets. This same element not only characterises the collection, but also makes it possible to reduce material consumption by removing the padding at the rear of the back: a detail enhanced by the double-sided upholstery made of leather and fabric sewn together, a savoir-faire element that evokes sartorial refinement.
EDO by Tommaso Caldera
The Edo chair collection is an ode to traditional craftsmanship. Formed of solid wood, the structure is designed as a frame to which different fabric or leather seat solutions can be attached, making it versatile and suitable for different settings.
Featuring a sleek design inspired by Japanese aesthetics – the chair is named after ancient Tokyo –, it consists of circular-section legs with a tapered profile, while the back, in contact with the body, has an elliptical section that is more pleasant to the touch, which is also a detail with a distinctively simple design. The legs and crosspieces are interlocking, so that all the elements that define the chair’s style are also functional and indispensable to its construction.
BONNET by Marialaura Irvine
The tables in the Bonnet family interpret the theme of soft, rational forms with architectural elan, introducing a touch of femininity into the MDF Italia collection that invites unprecedented social experiences. The legs, which resemble smoothed blades, rise up and embrace the table top with which they create a dynamic tension. The simple but bold asymmetrical and unusual shapes of the top have a strong personality that softens formal rigour with what the designer, Marialaura Irvine, calls a “radical whisper”.
When combined, these tables can create unexpected compositions. The result of experiments with materials and colours, the sophisticated single-material finishes made with Coccioperla (a mixture of mortar, aggregates and crushed mother-of-pearl) give the surfaces a tactile, brilliant and vivid aura.
PRESS by Benjamin Hubert
The Press chair epitomises research in seating design. “When working with any material,” comments designer Benjamin Hubert, “we like to push its potential to the maximum.”
The result of two years of development, Press is named after the production process that allows complex shapes to be obtained from a three-dimensional veneer. The curvature not only makes the body stronger while keeping it light, but also offers a visual and tangible feeling of comfort. The wood also emulates the shapes of upholstered seats, revealing the design’s innovative nature.
Its polished and minimalist body is designed to stand the test of time and to fit into both residential and contract contexts, with a focus on the hospitality sector, including hotels, bars and restaurants. It can be combined with different types of bases, including legs made of curved wood, butterfly-shaped or stackable steel tube legs.
TWIG by Gilli Kuchik & Ran Amitai
The Twig stool, designed by Gilli Kuchik & Ran Amitai, is distinguished by its sleek, sophisticated cylindrical shape composed of a few elements: a seat, a footrest and a base, all connected by a tubular metal structure.
Twig’s aesthetic is inspired by bicycle frames, featuring simple tubes cut at an angle and welded together. This assembly method allowed the designers to experiment with the angle of the corners, creating a cantilevered structure that generates an interesting visual tension while maintaining its solidity.
Available in two heights and two finishes, Twig is a stool which, when multiplied, creates a kind of forest in which each corner reveals a unique perspective of the object. Essential for social conviviality, Twig is distinguished by a strong and bold identity that easily adapts to different residential or contract styles and contexts.
TENSE MATERIAL HERITAGE by Piergiorgio and Michele Cazzaniga
The latest addition to the Tense family, a table designed in 2009 by Piergiorgio and Michele Cazzaniga, it somehow represents a leap into the past, reviving an ancient craft tradition.
In the new Tense Material Heritage, the natural or black painted oak table top is finished with a handmade process known as ‘sgorbiatura’ (wood hand carving). This technique involves carving the wood in an irregular manner to achieve a wavy effect and offer an intensely tactile experience. This meticulous process – which requires several hours of work for each table – completes a frame that embodies the technological and industrial innovation that enabled it to reach considerable dimensions.
FLOW COLLECTION by Jean Marie Massaud
Launched in 2009 based on an idea by Jean Marie Massaud, Flow is a versatile family of chairs that has evolved over time to meet different needs, becoming one of the milestones of the MDF Italia collection.
The restyling, 15 years after its inception, recaptures its iconic original design, adapting it to contemporary tastes without revolutionising its spirit. The body’s glossy finish has now been replaced by a matt finish, accompanied by a completely new colour range. The upholstery and ergonomics have been further refined to provide even more enveloping comfort, while the wooden legs have been streamlined, creating a softer overall effect.
Flow Chair and Flow Armchair are also available in a new solution with matt painted steel legs in 4 colour variants; also ideal for contract use. Special attention is paid to sustainability: the new Flow is made from recycled materials and wood from sustainably managed forests, meeting strict environmental standards throughout the production process.
PENTAGRAMMA SIDEBOARD by Pitsou Kedem
Pentagramma, the living system designed by Pitsou Kedem, further evolves with the introduction of new storage elements to meet the organisational needs of domestic and workspaces, from living areas to bedrooms to office environments.
A wall-mounted panel, characterised by a metal core covered in essence in Canaletto walnut and bleached oak finishes, takes the shape of an “L” and accommodates storage units with a flap door and open compartments, available in the colours from the collection. Pentagramma’s versatility is evident in its ability to be easily reconfigured over time, allowing the different elements to be moved as needed.