SIMAN collection
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Urbi Et Orbi introduces Siman a capsule collection of concrete tableware designed by Gian Paolo Venier and inspired by traditional Iranian architecture

A postcard representing the ancient Toghrul tower, situated near Teheran (Iran), that the designer received from an old friend, was the starting point for the conception of this is family of tableware. The name of the collection comes from the term "siman", which means concrete in Farsi language. Marked by the iconic pleating, which creates ever-changing games of shadows and depths, the pieces carry a strong sculptural identity. As a collection of little architectures. Siman populates interior landscapes with a highly graphic and timeless personality, casting a new light on concrete,...

Candle holders

Cake stand

MATERIALS & COLOURS AH the pieces come in two different shades of grey. Please note that every piece may exhibit color variations on its surface, as well as among other pieces of the same product or sample products. The concrete surface exhibits surface voids that are caused by the air. This is a natural property of concrete. Light grey

Gian Paolo Venier, the designer

4 passionate traveler, Gian Paolo Venier is in constant search of afar atmospheres to contaminate his design vocabulary. Designer and creative director at international level, In's distinctive signature combines a cosmopolitan elegance with the highest attention to materials, textures, tailor-made creations and sophisticated colour palettes. Interview by Laura Maggi

The theme of distant cultures is deeply rooted in your work. It is visible through the colour palettes, the shapes, the materials and the textures you use, but also from unexpected details. Your area of research ranges from the Mediterranean to the Far East, but it is perhaps the first time that the reference is so circumscribed. How was this choice born? I have always been attracted by everything that is different from my context of origin; I am fascinated by how places and traditions affect our aesthetic language and the relationships we establish with everyday objects. The curiosity...

3D printing. Geometry was complex and varied considerably depending on the size of each object. It was a bit Like writing a formula that required a slightly different ingredient depending on the object to which it was applied. When we finished the 3D prototypes, we shipped them to Greece, where the Urbi Et Orbi team produced the siLicone mouLds and poured the concrete for the first time. I can tell you: It was a real joy to see the pictures of the final pieces! After aLL those months of research and development, it definitely felt like a much-needed reward. Did Urbi Et Orbi leave you carte...

Urbi Et Orbi, the artisans

Giannis Kyriakakos and the Urbi Et Orbi philosophy Based on an interview by Laura Drouet “Concrete is generally considered as a rough and uninteresting material. Our specialty lies in its processing: in giving it form, colour, shape, texture, and character"

racing and the hours of the day were not enough for my thoughts to take shape. I was exploring the boundaries, of the materials and myself. AN INNOVATIVE PRODUCTION PROCESS The first step in the development CUTTING EDGE MATERIALS Architecture and Design created the necessity for the development of highly advanced concrete mixtures. Materials such as Glass Fiber Reinforced Concrete and Ultra-High Performance Concrete guarantee an excellent durability for applications that the ordinary cement mortars would not allow. These materials enable us to make products which have low thickness...

ART DIRECTION & DESIGN Gian Paolo Venier 3D MODELLING Marta Priore CATALOGUE CONCEPT & TEXT EDITING Olivier Lacrouts PHOTOGRAPHY Giannis Kyriakakos, Olivier Lacrouts, Tomaso Lisca, Massimiliano Ornaghi THANKS Design research & consulting by Fabio Muradore 3D prototyping by Brignetti Longoni Studio Interviews by Laura Drouet and Laura Maggi Archive image Tower and ruins of Rhey Yezid, by Eugene Flandin

Urbi Et Orbi Thessolonikis, 61 18233 A.I. Rentis Athens, Greece +30 210-4520178 info@urbietorbi.gr www.urbietorbi.gr